Roundup: France arrests 12 connected with Paris shooter, bomb threat triggers train station evacuation
Xinhua, January 16, 2015 Adjust font size:
French police on Thursday night arrested 12 people suspected of helping a gunman in last week's shootings in Paris, local media reported Friday.
Meanwhile, a main train station in Paris was closed and evacuated Friday due to a bomb threat before it was reopened shortly afterwards.
The 12 suspects -- nine men and three women -- were arrested on charges of providing "logistical support" for Amedy Coulibaly, who shot dead a policewoman and four hostages at two locations last week, the BFMTV news channel said, citing judicial sources.
According to the report, eight of them were placed into custody.
The arrests were made in southern Paris suburbs, including the Montrouge area, where Coulibaly, who claimed links with the Islamic State (IS), killed the police officer.
In three days of violence beginning Jan. 7, 17 people were killed in three separate attacks, the worst terror attack in France in decades. Police shot dead three murderous extremists, including Coulibaly.
French police are still searching for Hayat Boumeddiene, wife and an alleged accomplice of Coulibaly. The 26-year-old woman is now believed to be in Syria.
Also on Friday, the Gare de l'Est train station in Paris was evacuated at 8:00 a.m. (0700 GMT), but re-opened to travelers about one and a half hours later.
The SNCF state railway did not offer details, but local media reported that the evacuation was prompted by a suspicious package.
The scare came as U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry was in the French capital for a visit in the wake of the terrorist attack on satirical French magazine Charlie Hebdo last week, which was followed by a series of dramatic episodes, including Coulibaly's killings.
France has been on high alert since the Charlie Hebdo series of attacks. The government is keeping the Vigipirate security system at the highest level and has deployed 10,000 soldiers across the country to ensure security, mainly of sensitive places such religious centers. Endi