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Gunman Mohamed Merah 'to be buried in France' | Gunman Mohamed Merah 'to be buried in France' |
(40 minutes later) | |
Toulouse gunman Mohamed Merah is to be buried in France after Algerian authorities denied permission for a burial, a French Muslim official says. | |
Abdallah Zekri, of the Muslim Council of France, said Algeria had cited security as the reason for its refusal. | Abdallah Zekri, of the Muslim Council of France, said Algeria had cited security as the reason for its refusal. |
He told AFP news agency that Merah's family had asked him to organise the funeral within 24 hours. | He told AFP news agency that Merah's family had asked him to organise the funeral within 24 hours. |
Family members had been hoping to escort Merah's body to Algeria, where the family is originally from. | Family members had been hoping to escort Merah's body to Algeria, where the family is originally from. |
The family had planned to hold the funeral in the municipality of Souagui, about 80km (50 miles) south of the capital, Algiers. | The family had planned to hold the funeral in the municipality of Souagui, about 80km (50 miles) south of the capital, Algiers. |
Merah, 23, killed seven people, including three children, in south-western France before he was shot dead in a siege at his home last week. | Merah, 23, killed seven people, including three children, in south-western France before he was shot dead in a siege at his home last week. |
Police have found an abandoned car near Toulouse with possible links to Merah and the attacks, French media say. | Police have found an abandoned car near Toulouse with possible links to Merah and the attacks, French media say. |
Scooter | Scooter |
The car was discovered by residents late on Wednesday in St Papoul, a village near the town of Castelnaudary, the Midilibre regional daily reported. | The car was discovered by residents late on Wednesday in St Papoul, a village near the town of Castelnaudary, the Midilibre regional daily reported. |
The grey Renault Clio contained parts of a Yamaha Tmax scooter identified as the same type thought to have been used by Merah to travel to the scenes of the murders, reports say. | The grey Renault Clio contained parts of a Yamaha Tmax scooter identified as the same type thought to have been used by Merah to travel to the scenes of the murders, reports say. |
The car's owner has been identified as a man living in the same Toulouse block of flats as Merah, France 3 TV quoted a source close to the investigation as saying. | The car's owner has been identified as a man living in the same Toulouse block of flats as Merah, France 3 TV quoted a source close to the investigation as saying. |
French newspapers say the discovery supports theories that Merah may have had an accomplice. | French newspapers say the discovery supports theories that Merah may have had an accomplice. |
The killer's elder brother, Abdelkader Merah, is said to have told investigators that a third man was present with the pair when the scooter used in the attacks was stolen, Le Parisien newspaper reports. | The killer's elder brother, Abdelkader Merah, is said to have told investigators that a third man was present with the pair when the scooter used in the attacks was stolen, Le Parisien newspaper reports. |
Merah died in a police assault on his flat in Toulouse on 22 March after a 32-hour siege. He had killed three soldiers in two separate attacks before shooting dead three children and a teacher at a Jewish school. | Merah died in a police assault on his flat in Toulouse on 22 March after a 32-hour siege. He had killed three soldiers in two separate attacks before shooting dead three children and a teacher at a Jewish school. |
Merah, born in France of Algerian descent, is said to have told police he wanted to avenge Palestinian children and to attack the French army because of its foreign interventions. | Merah, born in France of Algerian descent, is said to have told police he wanted to avenge Palestinian children and to attack the French army because of its foreign interventions. |
His father, Mohamed Benalal Merah, has said he has hired an Algerian lawyer to sue French special police over his son's death. | His father, Mohamed Benalal Merah, has said he has hired an Algerian lawyer to sue French special police over his son's death. |