1st LD Writethru: 2 more attackers identified: Office of Paris Prosecutor
Xinhua, November 16, 2015 Adjust font size:
More than 60 hours after the deadly attacks in Paris, the Office of Paris Prosecutor announced Sunday that two more attackers are identified.
The first is the suicide bomber of French national stadium Stade de France, where a Syrian passport was found.
Although "the authenticity of the passport in the name of Ahmed Al-Mohammad, born on Sept. 10, 1990 in Idlib (Syria) remains to be verified," the Office of Paris Prosecutor found the finger prints of the suicide bomber match those collected during a check in Greece in October, 2015.
A second suicide bomber of the Bataclan concert hall was identified as Samy Amimour, born on Oct. 15, 1987 in Paris suburbs.
According to the prosecutor's office, Amimour was known to the anti-terrorist service for having been charged with association with terrorist criminals. An international arrest warrant was issued in 2013 for him.
The Office of Paris Prosecutor added that three family members of Amimour are in custody since this morning.
So far, five of the killed attackers, all returning from Syria, are identified.
French Prime Minister Manuel Valls on Monday warned of possible further attacks in French soil and in European countries after deadly shootings and suicide bombings rocked Paris on Friday.
"Terrorism has hit and will hit again these days in the coming weeks. I do not say this to scare. Everyone must be fully aware of that," Valls said.
"We know that more attacks are being prepared, not just against France but also against other European countries," he told RTL radio.
Overnight, French police raided homes of suspected Islamist militants across the country in the wake of the Paris attacks, he added.
"We are making use of the legal framework of the state of emergency to question people who are part of the radical jihadist movement, and all those who advocate hate of the republic," he said.
As part of judicial inquiry into Friday's attacks, police raided 168 houses across the capital, Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve unveiled.
A total of 23 people were arrested and 104 others were put under house arrest over the last two days. Police has also seized 31 weapons, including rocket launchers during the operation, he added.
"Let this be clear to everyone, this is just the beginning, these actions are going to continue," he told reporters.
Simultaneous shootings and explosions at restaurants, Bataclan concert hall and the national stadium in Paris on Friday night killed at least 129 people and injured hundreds of others.
French President declared three days of national mourning. He will make an address to the joint upper and lower houses of parliament later on Monday at the Palace of Versailles. Enditem