Here's What We Know About the Paris Attackers
Officials are working to uncover information about the attackers who stormed various locations across Paris on Friday evening, killing 129 and injuring hundreds at least 80 of whom are in critical condition.
The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attacks, and French authorities believe three coordinated teams of terrorists are responsible for the massacre, according to Paris prosecutor François Molins.
Here's what we know about the attackers so far.
Police Are Searching For Salah Abdeslam
France's national police tweeted a wanted poster for Salah Abdeslam, an individual who is suspected of having links to the attacks. The poster says he was born on Sept. 15, 1989, in Brussels.
Salah and his brother Ibrahim Abdeslam were both involved in the attacks, a senior European intelligence official familiar with the case told The Washington Post. One of them was a suicide bomber and the other oversaw logistics, including the rental of one of the cars found after the attack.
Salah Abdeslam interacted with police hours after the attack, four French officials told The Associated Press.
Police pulled over the car he was in near France's border with Belgium early Saturday morning. Officers checked his ID and then let him go.
By this point, authorities had already determined that Abdeslam had rented a Volkswagen Polo left at the Bataclan.
Body Of Another Bataclan Suicide Bomber Identified As One of Three Brothers
Authorities identified the body of another Bataclan suicide bomber, Le Figaro reported. They determined that he is one of three brothers believed to be connected to the attacks.
Two Attackers Identified As French Brothers Living In Belgium
A Belgian official said Sunday that seven people were detained in Belgium for being linked to the Paris attacks, The Associated Press reported. A French and Belgian team has been set up to obtain more information.
It is still unclear how long they will remain in custody.
Two of the assailants were brothers from France and living in Brussels one lived in the Molenbeek neighborhood, which is "considered a focal point for religious extremism and fighters going to Syria," the AP added.
Officials found two cars with links to Friday's attacks. One of them, a grey Volkswagen Polo parked near the Bataclan, had come from Molenbeek, the Guardian reported. A parking ticket inside the rented car had been issued in the Brussels neighborhood.
French Officials: Ismaël Omar Mostefaï Was One Of The Bataclan Attackers
French officials also identified Ismaël Omar Mostefaï as one of the attackers. Molins said Saturday that he was a 29-year-old Frenchman who was being monitored by authorities for links to Islamic radicalism.
Authorities were able to identify him thanks to a piece of his finger that had been found after his suicide belt exploded at the Bataclan, Le Monde reported. They also found a weapon that they were able to trace to the suburb Mostefaï grew up in.
Mostefaï's father, a brother and other family members were being questioned Sunday.
"It's a crazy thing, it's madness," his brother told AFP upon turning himself in to police.
He cut ties with Mostefaï years ago and was unaware of his radicalization, AFP reported. He believed Mostefaï had gone to Algeria with his daughter.
The brother's neighbor backed up these claims. "[Mostefaï's brother and his wife] were an extraordinary couple. They had been disconnected from any activity for a long time," the man told news channel iTélé.
Mostefaï, born in the Chartres region of France in November 1985, allegedly spent a few months in Syria sometime between 2013 and 2014, Le Monde reported. Investigators were able to track down his movements through Turkey.
Mostefaï's acquaintances seemed unaware of his plans. "He was really, really, really discreet," one of his neighbors told iTélé.
Syrian Passport Found At The Stade De France
Authorities also found a Syrian passport near the Stade de France explosion site, Molins announced Saturday. The passport allegedly belonged to Ahmed Almohamed, born in September 1990 in Syria. French authorities had not been aware of this person prior to the attack.
Intelligence officials have said the passport is fake, but did tell Sky News that the attacker likely used it to pass through the Aegean island of Leros.
The Serbian interior ministry said Sunday that this man came to Greece in October along with many other refugees and sought asylum in Serbia, The Washington Post reported. Almohamed was reportedly traveling with a second man named Mohammed Almuhamed, the Guardian reported.
Article Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/paris-attackers_56488d01e4b0603773496f39
Image Source: http://img.huffingtonpost.com/asset/scalefit_630_noupscale/5648a468290000d7004dd0a1.jpeg
VOCABULARY WORDS:
1. Storm (v.) ~ (of troops) suddenly attack and capture (a building or other place) by means of force
2. Oversee (v.) ~ supervise (a person or work), especially in an official capacity
3. In custody (phrasal verb) ~ the state of being detained or held under guard, especially by the police
4. Assailant (n.) ~ a person who physically attacks another
5. Trace (v.) ~ find or discover by investigation
6. Cut tie (idiom) ~ to end a relationship or agreement suddenly or completely
7. Discreet (adj.) ~ careful and circumspect in one's speech or actions, especially in order to avoid causing offense or to gain an advantage
8. Asylum (n.) ~ the protection granted by a nation to someone who has left their native ｃountry as a political refugee
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION:
1. Have you heard of the terrorist attacks in France last weekend? Tell me about it?
2. According to the article, who are the suspected perpetrators?
3. In your opinion, why do you think IS attacked France?
4. What can the ｃountries do against the IS to avoid another attack?
