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Toulouse killings arrest denied Toulouse killings arrest denied
(40 minutes later)
France's interior minister has denied reports that security forces have arrested the main suspect in the recent spate of shootings around Toulouse. The Frenchman suspected of a spate of shootings in the Toulouse area planned more killings, prosecutors have said.
Claude Gueant said negotiations were continuing with the suspect, named as Mohammed Merah, 23, a Frenchman of Algerian origin. Anti-terror chief Francois Molins said the suspect, named as Mohammed Merah, 23, of Algerian descent, intended to kill a soldier and two police officers.
BFM TV earlier reported that Merah, suspected of killing three soldiers and four Jewish people, had been detained. Merah, who says he was trained by al-Qaeda, is suspected of murdering three soldiers and four Jewish people.
Merah is heavily armed and surrounded by police in his Toulouse apartment. Police have surrounded his flat and are trying to persuade him to surrender. He is said to be heavily armed.
Earlier reports said he had been captured, but officials later rebuffed the claims.
The killings took place in and around Toulouse in three separate incidents earlier this month.The killings took place in and around Toulouse in three separate incidents earlier this month.
On 11 March, a soldier was shot and killed while waiting to see a man about selling his motorcycle.On 11 March, a soldier was shot and killed while waiting to see a man about selling his motorcycle.
Just after President Sarkozy arrived in Toulouse for meetings at a military barracks close to where the siege is taking place, reports began circulating that it was all over, Mohammed Merah had been arrested.Just after President Sarkozy arrived in Toulouse for meetings at a military barracks close to where the siege is taking place, reports began circulating that it was all over, Mohammed Merah had been arrested.
But minutes later came the denials. First by local officials in Toulouse, then by the interior minister himself. It all added to the tension. How will the siege which began at 3am local time on Wednesday morning, be brought to an end?But minutes later came the denials. First by local officials in Toulouse, then by the interior minister himself. It all added to the tension. How will the siege which began at 3am local time on Wednesday morning, be brought to an end?
Officially the French government says it wants to capture him alive so that he can stand trial on charges of murdering seven people and injuring at least two others.Officially the French government says it wants to capture him alive so that he can stand trial on charges of murdering seven people and injuring at least two others.
But it will not be an easy operation if he decides to stand and fight. He is reported to have an automatic rifle, a sub machinegun and grenades inside his apartment.But it will not be an easy operation if he decides to stand and fight. He is reported to have an automatic rifle, a sub machinegun and grenades inside his apartment.
Days later, two soldiers were shot and killed and a third was wounded while waiting at a cash machine. Days later, two soldiers were shot and killed, and a third was wounded while waiting at a cash machine.
And earlier this week, three children and an adult were shot and killed outside a Jewish school. Then earlier this week, three children and an adult were shot and killed outside a Jewish school.
The four Jewish victims were buried in an emotional funeral in Jerusalem earlier.The four Jewish victims were buried in an emotional funeral in Jerusalem earlier.
President Nicolas Sarkozy is attending a memorial at a military base in nearby Montauban for the three murdered soldiers. In a news conference, Mr Molins said Merah had planned to kill a soldier later on Wednesday and also had plans to target the police.
He has been speaking to Jewish community leaders, and reportedly told them that the gunmen had been planning more attacks before police had surrounded his apartment block. Mr Molins said the suspect had expressed no regret for the killings, but had said he wanted to kill more people and "bring France to its knees".
President Nicolas Sarkozy has attended a memorial at a military base in nearby Montauban for the three murdered soldiers.
He earlier told Jewish community leaders that the gunmen had been planning more attacks before police had surrounded his apartment block.
'Vengeance' claim'Vengeance' claim
Police surrounded Merah's block of flats after two officers were shot at when they tried to get into his flat. Police moved into Merah's block after two officers were shot at when they tried to get into his flat.
Officials say he is heavily armed with a Kalashnikov high-velocity rifle, a mini-Uzi 9mm machine pistol, several handguns and possibly grenades.Officials say he is heavily armed with a Kalashnikov high-velocity rifle, a mini-Uzi 9mm machine pistol, several handguns and possibly grenades.
The five-story block of flats was evacuated earlier, and police were also moving residents of nearby buildings. The five-storey block of flats was evacuated earlier, and police were also moving residents of nearby buildings.
Elsewhere in the city, police are hunting for accomplices and have detained several members of his family.Elsewhere in the city, police are hunting for accomplices and have detained several members of his family.
His mother was taken to the scene in the hope that she could persuade him to surrender, but she told police that she had no influence over her son.His mother was taken to the scene in the hope that she could persuade him to surrender, but she told police that she had no influence over her son.
Negotiators have been talking to Merah all morning, but Mr Gueant, who is at the scene, said he appeared to have no particular demands. Negotiators have been talking to Merah all morning, but officials said he appeared to have no particular demands.
The suspect has said he belonged to al-Qaeda and acted to "avenge Palestinian children". The suspect has said he acted to "avenge Palestinian children".
He had apparently spent time in Pakistan and Afghanistan, where he was jailed for three years for planting bombs. Merah admitted to receiving al-Qaeda training in Pakistan's Waziristan area, and also said he had been to Afghanistan, prosecutors said.
The prison director in Kandahar, southern Afghanistan, Gulam Farooq, told the BBC that Merah was arrested in 2007, but escaped in a Taliban-led break-out in 2008. Afghan officials said he had been jailed in Kandahar for planting bombs in 2007, but escaped in a Taliban-led break-out in 2008.
Other Afghan sources cast doubt on the claims, saying the person jailed in Kandahar might have been a different person with the same name.

How French police tracked down the gunman

6 March: A Yamaha T-MAX scooter like the one above was stolen and used by the suspect in the targeted killings. The suspect later asked a garage how to re-spray the machine and how to switch off its tracker device. 11 March: French paratrooper, Imad Ibn-Ziaten, was lured to a meeting with the suspect after advertising his own scooter for sale. The suspect sent an email to arrange a meeting at which he killed the soldier. 21 March: The email address led to this apartment block in Toulouse. Two policemen were lightly wounded when they knocked on the door of an apartment. The heavily armed gunman is surrounded by police.

How French police tracked down the gunman

6 March: A Yamaha T-MAX scooter like the one above was stolen and used by the suspect in the targeted killings. The suspect later asked a garage how to re-spray the machine and how to switch off its tracker device. 11 March: French paratrooper, Imad Ibn-Ziaten, was lured to a meeting with the suspect after advertising his own scooter for sale. The suspect sent an email to arrange a meeting at which he killed the soldier. 21 March: The email address led to this apartment block in Toulouse. Two policemen were lightly wounded when they knocked on the door of an apartment. The heavily armed gunman is surrounded by police.
Are you in the area near the raid? Have you been affected by the shootings or the heightened security measures? Send us your comments using the form below.Are you in the area near the raid? Have you been affected by the shootings or the heightened security measures? Send us your comments using the form below.
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