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| Toulouse siege enters second day - live updates | Toulouse siege enters second day - live updates |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| 10.16am: Barcelona's La Vanguardia is reporting that French police told Spain that Merah was believed to be attending a jihadist meeting in Girona in 2011. The Guardia Civil looked into the tip but were unable to confirm the presence of the suspect, the paper says. | |
| 10.08am: French media have footage of the blown-out windows of Merah's flat — apparently as a result of the blasts. Unconfirmed reports suggest that Raid officers are already in the flat. | |
| 10.05am: Police sources are saying "the siege is coming to an end", but it's hard to get much more information as journalists at the scene are being kept behind a security barrier a little way from the block of flats. | |
| 10.03am: The assault is under way, reports Le Figaro. Raid commandos may already be in the flat. One of the paper's reporters says three fire engines and a GIPN van are at the scene. Looks as though we could be close to a conclusion after more than 30 hours ... | |
| 9.56am: While we wait to see what the three explosions might signify, here's some expert commentary. | |
| Frédéric Gallois, a former commander of the French armed forces' special operation outfit, the GIGN (National Gendarmerie Intervention Group) has been talking to France Info about the siege. | |
| If this individual has stopped talking, it doesn't mean he's dead. He might have decided to slip back into another confrontational phase with the police. He's been surprised: he thought he'd be able to continue his offensive and carry on with the killings and it's clear that he hadn't prepared anything (in the event of a siege)." | |
| Gallois also said that dogs or a robot could be sent into the building on a reconnaissance mission. | |
| 9.51am: Police sources tell France Info the explosions were sonic grenades, designed to deafen and disorientate suspects | |
| 9.40am: New blasts are stronger than last night's and an ambulance has just entered the security cordon, reports France Info. | |
| 9.38am: Three explosions reported at the scene ... | |
| 9.13am: France Info and others have noted the arrival of a black van from the GIPN — the National Police Intervention Group. It seems a member of the GIPN in full kit has already reconnoitred the apartment block. | 9.13am: France Info and others have noted the arrival of a black van from the GIPN — the National Police Intervention Group. It seems a member of the GIPN in full kit has already reconnoitred the apartment block. |
| 9.07am: According to Le Figaro, the French interior minister, Claude Guéant, is now on the scene and at a command post 50m from the flat. He's having a technical briefing with senior police chiefs and the Paris prosecutor. | 9.07am: According to Le Figaro, the French interior minister, Claude Guéant, is now on the scene and at a command post 50m from the flat. He's having a technical briefing with senior police chiefs and the Paris prosecutor. |
| 9.03am: As the siege stretches on, it's a good time to consider the events that led to it. If you haven't already read it, Angelique's piece on Monday's horrific murders at the Ozar Hatorah Jewish secondary school is well worth a look: | 9.03am: As the siege stretches on, it's a good time to consider the events that led to it. If you haven't already read it, Angelique's piece on Monday's horrific murders at the Ozar Hatorah Jewish secondary school is well worth a look: |
| Just before 8am, Ethel Guedj dropped off two of her sons, aged 15 and 11, at the Ozar Hatorah private Jewish secondary school in a quiet residential street of north east Toulouse. As usual, there were young children milling in front of the gates, waiting to be taken to the nearby primary school. | Just before 8am, Ethel Guedj dropped off two of her sons, aged 15 and 11, at the Ozar Hatorah private Jewish secondary school in a quiet residential street of north east Toulouse. As usual, there were young children milling in front of the gates, waiting to be taken to the nearby primary school. |
| Guedj's sons followed other teenagers into morning prayers and had barely put down their briefcases when they heard shots ring out … | Guedj's sons followed other teenagers into morning prayers and had barely put down their briefcases when they heard shots ring out … |
| 8.58am: Marine Le Pen of the extreme right Front National, has been giving her take on the siege and the issues it raises to France Info. | 8.58am: Marine Le Pen of the extreme right Front National, has been giving her take on the siege and the issues it raises to France Info. |
| She says she is finding the stand-off "a bit long" and thinks the authorities are taking some "absolutely unbelievable precautions for a man who's there on his own and doesn't have any hostages". Le Pen also questions whether the intelligence services could have done more to track Merah. | She says she is finding the stand-off "a bit long" and thinks the authorities are taking some "absolutely unbelievable precautions for a man who's there on his own and doesn't have any hostages". Le Pen also questions whether the intelligence services could have done more to track Merah. |
| "We should know everything about that man. Have the intelligence services done everything possible from their end?" she asks, adding that they need to keep track of the Islamist fundamentalism that "is developing in France". | "We should know everything about that man. Have the intelligence services done everything possible from their end?" she asks, adding that they need to keep track of the Islamist fundamentalism that "is developing in France". |
| She goes on: "For 10 years, I've argued that some entire neighbourhoods are in the hands of Islamist fundamentalists and I repeat that it is a danger that we are underestimating." | She goes on: "For 10 years, I've argued that some entire neighbourhoods are in the hands of Islamist fundamentalists and I repeat that it is a danger that we are underestimating." |
| 8.45am: As our Paris correspondent, Angelique Chrisafis reports, France's attention is now firmly fixed on how Merah managed to kill and elude the authorities for so long despite being known to — and followed by — the French intelligence services. | 8.45am: As our Paris correspondent, Angelique Chrisafis reports, France's attention is now firmly fixed on how Merah managed to kill and elude the authorities for so long despite being known to — and followed by — the French intelligence services. |
| The French foreign minister, Alain Juppé, told French radio "all light must be shed" on whether there had been any intelligence failing on Merah. | The French foreign minister, Alain Juppé, told French radio "all light must be shed" on whether there had been any intelligence failing on Merah. |
| French media are beginning to ask why and how Merah, who had been under police surveillance for years, and was last interviewed by intelligence services in November last year, was not apprehended earlier in his spree of three shootings, which began on 11 March when he shot dead a soldier. He struck again on 15 March shooting two more soldiers, and wounding another. On 19 March, he struck at the gates of a Jewish school killing a rabbi and three children. | French media are beginning to ask why and how Merah, who had been under police surveillance for years, and was last interviewed by intelligence services in November last year, was not apprehended earlier in his spree of three shootings, which began on 11 March when he shot dead a soldier. He struck again on 15 March shooting two more soldiers, and wounding another. On 19 March, he struck at the gates of a Jewish school killing a rabbi and three children. |
| 8.38am: Le Figaro has a fascinating piece on sieges and sleep deprivation here. It is, not surprisingly, in French. The article points out that while it's hard for most people to stay awake for more than 30 hours, Raid officers have access to amphetamines, which enable them to stay awake for three days. The strategy in a situation like this, apparently, is to keep the suspect awake till they break — hence the explosions through the night. The piece also includes quotes from a former Raid officer who explains why sleeping gas isn't used in these situations. | 8.38am: Le Figaro has a fascinating piece on sieges and sleep deprivation here. It is, not surprisingly, in French. The article points out that while it's hard for most people to stay awake for more than 30 hours, Raid officers have access to amphetamines, which enable them to stay awake for three days. The strategy in a situation like this, apparently, is to keep the suspect awake till they break — hence the explosions through the night. The piece also includes quotes from a former Raid officer who explains why sleeping gas isn't used in these situations. |
| We don't do that — it's a myth. No rapid deployment force — even abroad — employs that technique. For that, you need a totally confined space without any ventilation. If a door opens or a window's half open, the stuff doesn't work. And it's very difficult to get the right dose when it comes to that kind of gas; too strong a dose could kill someone." | We don't do that — it's a myth. No rapid deployment force — even abroad — employs that technique. For that, you need a totally confined space without any ventilation. If a door opens or a window's half open, the stuff doesn't work. And it's very difficult to get the right dose when it comes to that kind of gas; too strong a dose could kill someone." |
| 8.17am: Guéant has given Le Figaro a blunt update on the latest intelligence: "We don't know if he's dead or alive." | 8.17am: Guéant has given Le Figaro a blunt update on the latest intelligence: "We don't know if he's dead or alive." |
| The minister has also defended the actions of France's national intelligence service, the DCRI, who are facing questions about why they followed Merah but did not foresee the murder spree of which he stands accused: | The minister has also defended the actions of France's national intelligence service, the DCRI, who are facing questions about why they followed Merah but did not foresee the murder spree of which he stands accused: |
| The DCRI follows a lot of people who are involved in radical islamism. Expressing ideas and jihadist opinions is not sufficent grounds for bringing someone up before the courts." | The DCRI follows a lot of people who are involved in radical islamism. Expressing ideas and jihadist opinions is not sufficent grounds for bringing someone up before the courts." |
| 8.06am: There's increasing speculation about the two shots that were heard overnight — as you can tell from Guéant's language. The interior minister says it's "rather strange" that Merah did not react to the detonations overnight. | 8.06am: There's increasing speculation about the two shots that were heard overnight — as you can tell from Guéant's language. The interior minister says it's "rather strange" that Merah did not react to the detonations overnight. |
| "We hope that he is still alive," he said, stressing that authorities' priority is to capture him alive. He said the gunman earlier told negotiators that he wanted to "die with weapons in his hands". | "We hope that he is still alive," he said, stressing that authorities' priority is to capture him alive. He said the gunman earlier told negotiators that he wanted to "die with weapons in his hands". |
| 8.01am: Police have lost contact with Merah and there has been no sign of life from his apartment for 10 hours, the French interior minister has said. | 8.01am: Police have lost contact with Merah and there has been no sign of life from his apartment for 10 hours, the French interior minister has said. |
| "There was no movement during the night. We hope he is still alive," Claude Guéant told RTL radio. He said two shots had been heard during the night. | "There was no movement during the night. We hope he is still alive," Claude Guéant told RTL radio. He said two shots had been heard during the night. |
| "Despite renewed efforts all through the night to reestablish contact by voice and radio, there has been no contact, no showing from him," he said, adding that he still hoped Merah could be captured alive. | "Despite renewed efforts all through the night to reestablish contact by voice and radio, there has been no contact, no showing from him," he said, adding that he still hoped Merah could be captured alive. |
| Rain poured down on police, firefighters, media and around a dozen bystanders who spent the night outside the apartment. | Rain poured down on police, firefighters, media and around a dozen bystanders who spent the night outside the apartment. |
| Merah, a French citizen of Algerian origin, boasted to police negotiators on Wednesday night that he had brought France to its knees and said his only regret was not having been able to carry out plans for more killings. He has told negotiators that he killed the seven to avenge the deaths of Palestinian children and because of French army involvement in Afghanistan. | Merah, a French citizen of Algerian origin, boasted to police negotiators on Wednesday night that he had brought France to its knees and said his only regret was not having been able to carry out plans for more killings. He has told negotiators that he killed the seven to avenge the deaths of Palestinian children and because of French army involvement in Afghanistan. |
| France's Raid commando unit detonated three explosions just before midnight on Wednesday, flattening the main door of the building and blowing a hole in the wall, after it became clear Merah did not mean to keep a promise to turn himself in. | France's Raid commando unit detonated three explosions just before midnight on Wednesday, flattening the main door of the building and blowing a hole in the wall, after it became clear Merah did not mean to keep a promise to turn himself in. |
| They continued to fire shots roughly every hour, and stepped up the pace at dawn with two loud explosions that sounded like grenades. Analysts said police were attempting to exhaust the gunman and make him easier to capture unharmed. | They continued to fire shots roughly every hour, and stepped up the pace at dawn with two loud explosions that sounded like grenades. Analysts said police were attempting to exhaust the gunman and make him easier to capture unharmed. |
| "These were moves to intimidate the gunman who seems to have changed his mind and does not want to surrender," said interior ministry spokesman Pierre-Henry Brandet. | "These were moves to intimidate the gunman who seems to have changed his mind and does not want to surrender," said interior ministry spokesman Pierre-Henry Brandet. |
| Merah — who authorities say has a weapons cache in the apartment including an Uzi and a Kalashnikov assault rifle — wounded two officers on Wednesday. | Merah — who authorities say has a weapons cache in the apartment including an Uzi and a Kalashnikov assault rifle — wounded two officers on Wednesday. |
| 7.56am: Welcome to our coverage of the Toulouse siege as, after a long night, the stand-off between elite police and the man suspected of carrying out a string of murders that has shaken France enters its second day. | 7.56am: Welcome to our coverage of the Toulouse siege as, after a long night, the stand-off between elite police and the man suspected of carrying out a string of murders that has shaken France enters its second day. |
| Here's a quick recap: | Here's a quick recap: |
| • Mohamed Merah, 24, has been pinned down since Wednesday morning in a Toulouse flat after a raid in which police captured his brother but had to pull back when three officers were shot and wounded. The scene is completely surrounded by heavily armed police from Raid, the French specialist anti-terrorist and hostage response squad. | • Mohamed Merah, 24, has been pinned down since Wednesday morning in a Toulouse flat after a raid in which police captured his brother but had to pull back when three officers were shot and wounded. The scene is completely surrounded by heavily armed police from Raid, the French specialist anti-terrorist and hostage response squad. |
| • Explosions have been ringing out at varied intervals overnight, with the stated aim of authorities being to intimidate Merah, tire him out and convince him that there is no escape, while putting themselves and others in as little danger as possible. | • Explosions have been ringing out at varied intervals overnight, with the stated aim of authorities being to intimidate Merah, tire him out and convince him that there is no escape, while putting themselves and others in as little danger as possible. |
| • At over 24 hours it has become one of France's longest ever police sieges – comparisons have been drawn with the Neuilly hostage crisis of 1993, which went on for 46 hours. | • At over 24 hours it has become one of France's longest ever police sieges – comparisons have been drawn with the Neuilly hostage crisis of 1993, which went on for 46 hours. |
| • Merah is blamed for the shooting murders of three schoolchildren and a rabbi at a Jewish school in Toulouse, and for gunning down three soldiers in Toulouse and nearby Montauban. He has called himself an al-Qaida fighter and declared he would have killed more people given the chance. | • Merah is blamed for the shooting murders of three schoolchildren and a rabbi at a Jewish school in Toulouse, and for gunning down three soldiers in Toulouse and nearby Montauban. He has called himself an al-Qaida fighter and declared he would have killed more people given the chance. |