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Post by Shoshanna on Nov 13, 2015 18:56:10 GMT -5
Paris attacks: 43 killed, fire officials say; hostage situation ongoingBy Steve Almasy and Jim Bittermann, CNN Updated 6:45 PM ET, Fri November 13, 2015 | Video Source: CNN Story highlights Paris fire officials put death toll at 43 people Radio reporter describes horrific scene at theater where people were attending a concert One of explosions at national stadium appears to be suicide bombing, source tells CNN Paris (CNN)Dozens of people are reported dead after a series of what appear to be coordinated attacks across Paris late Friday. A hostage situation is continuing at a concert hall. CNN will update this story as information comes in: [Latest developments, posted at 6:43 p.m. ET] • At least 43 people are confirmed dead in multiple attacks across Paris, firefighters said early Saturday. CNN affiliate BFMTV reported earlier as many as 60 people had been killed. • French radio reporter Julien Pearce was inside the Bataclan theater when gunmen entered. Two men dressed in black started shooting what he described as AK-47s, and after wounded people fell to the floor, the two gunmen shot them again, execution-style, he said. The two men didn't wear masks and didn't say anything. The gunfire lasted 10 to 15 minutes, sending the crowd inside the small concert hall into a screaming panic, said Pearce, who escaped. He said he saw 20 to 25 bodies lying on the floor. The hostage situation at the Bataclan continued early Saturday. • One of the explosions at the Stade de France outside Paris appears to be a suicide bombing, a Western intelligence source receiving direct intelligence from the scene told CNN's Deb Feyerick. A dismembered body, consistent with the aftermath of an explosion from that type of device, was found at the scene, the source said. • People are inviting people off the streets into their apartments, reports Philip Crowther, Washington correspondent for France 24. They are following President Francois Hollande's direction to stay indoors. • Traffic on several subway lines has been interrupted following the attacks, the Paris police prefecture reported. • At this hour, there is no credible or specific threat in the United States, according to a U.S. government official. • Hollande, in an address to the nation, said he had declared a state of emergency, meaning borders will be closed. "We have to show compassion and solidarity and we also have to show unity and keep our cool. France must be strong and great," he said. • The Paris prefecture of police is instructing residents to stay home. The prefecture said via Twitter that people should stay inside "unless there's an absolute necessity." • French authorities have launched a terrorism investigation, Eric Pelletier, a reporter with Le Pariesien, tells CNN Paul Cruickshank. There has been no official claim of responsibility, though ISIS has applauded the attacks on Twitter, Cruickshank reports. • "This is an attack not just on Paris, not just on the people on France, but an attack on all humanity and the universal values we share," U.S. President Barack Obama said at the White House. He called the attacks an "outrageous attempt to terrorize innocent civilians." • At least 60 people have died in the attacks, CNN affiliate BFMTV reported. • At least six shootings took place in Paris and three explosions took place at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis late Friday, CNN affiliate BFMTV said. Two or three gunmen entered the Bataclan concert hall while opening fire on law enforcement, BFMTV reported. A source earlier told CNN there were six to eight hostage takers, citing a person they were talking to inside the venue. • Paris police tell CNN there were three attacks. Attackers reportedly used AK-47 automatic weapons.  CNN Map Stade de France La Bataclan Theater 10th District © Mapbox © OpenStreetMap Improve this map • A CNN producer who is at the Bataclan says that police are firing at a rooftop position near the venue. • Hollande was evacuated at halftime of the France-Germany soccer match. • Hollande, Prime Minister Manuel Valls and Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve are holding a crisis meeting at the Interior Ministry to address the attacks in Paris and the explosions in Saint-Denis, according to BFMTV. • Counterterrorism officials around the United States have convened secure conference calls to try to gather information and to assess whether there is any indication of threats in the U.S, according to two U.S. counterterrorism officials. Immediate suspicion for the events in Paris falls to so-called returnees -- people who have traveled to Syria and Iraq and have returned, the officials said. Multiple attacks in Paris 9 photos: Multiple attacks in Paris In early January of this year, two gunmen attacked the Paris offices of the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, killing 12 and wounding 11. Said and Cherif Kouachi wanted to punish the magazine for the publication of cartoons that they believed mocked the Prophet Mohammed. The Kouachi brothers two days later were shot and killed in a standoff with police in Dammartin-en-Goele. Amedy Coulibaly, an associate of Said and Cherif Kouachi, attacked a Jewish grocery store in Paris, taking more than a dozen people hostage and killing four. Coulibaly had killed a policewoman the day before, on January 8. Coulibaly was killed when police stormed the kosher market. Pictures, video, more at link
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Post by Shoshanna on Nov 13, 2015 19:01:31 GMT -5
Nov 13, 6:45 PM EST The Latest: World leaders express shock at Paris attacks PARIS (AP) -- The latest on shootings and explosions in Paris. (all times local): 11:45 p.m. World leaders have expressed shock at the violence in Paris. German Chancellor Angela Merkel says she is "deeply shaken by the news and pictures that are reaching us from Paris." The German leader issued a statement saying her thoughts were with the victims "of the apparent terrorist attack." The Secretary-General of the NATO alliance says he is "deeply shocked by horrific Paris attacks." Jens Stoltenberg said in a Twitter message that "We stand together with the people of #France. Terrorism will never defeat democracy." U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is condemning "the despicable terrorist attacks" in Paris and is demanding the immediate release of numerous hostages being held in the Bataclan theater. --- 11:35 p.m. Three police officials confirm that security forces have launched an assault on the Paris concert hall where hostages have been taken. None of the officials could be named when discussing the ongoing operation, which several officials said involved dozens of hostages. The Paris police prefecture told resident to remain home and avoid going out unless absolutely necessary. --- 11:30 p.m. Automatic gunfire and blasts have rung out from the area of a Paris music hall where police say people are being held hostage. Scores of police are surrounding the Bataclan concert hall, and sirens are wailing throughout the neighborhood. The gunfire began soon after French President Francois Hollande said security forces were launching an assault on one of several sites targeted in attacks Friday night around Paris. --- 11:20 p.m. A police union official says there were two suicide attacks and a bombing near the national stadium where France and Germany were playing a friendly match. The official, Gregory Goupil of the Alliance Police Nationale, whose region includes the area of the stadium, said there were at least three dead in the attacks near the stadium, near two of the entrances and a McDonalds restaurant. He said the explosions went off simultaneously. He did not provide more details. --- 11.10 p.m. Although no one has claimed responsibility for the Paris attacks, some terrorism experts say the Islamic State group is likely responsible. Brian Michael Jenkins, a terrorism expert and senior adviser to the president of RAND Corp., said the extremist group is clearly the name at the top of everyone's list." He said this was because the tactic used - "multiple attackers in coordinated attacks at multiple locations" - echoed recommendations published in extremist group's online magazine, James Woolsey, a former director of the CIA in 1993-195 and now chancellor at the Institute of World Politics, also told the BBC he suspected the Islamic State because the coordinated nature of the attacks required government-style planning. --- 11:05 p.m. President Barack Obama is calling the attacks on Paris "outrageous attempt to terrorize innocent civilians" and is vowing to do whatever it takes to help bring the perpetrators to justice. Speaking to reporters at the White House, Obama said he would not speculate about who was responsible. He called the attacks a "heartbreaking situation" and an "attack on all of humanity." Obama was briefed on the attacks Friday by his counterterrorism adviser Lisa Monaco. The attacks come as the president is preparing for two trips abroad. He's slated to leave Saturday for a nine-day trip to Turkey, the Philippines and Malaysia. He due to travel to Paris for climate change talks at the end of the month. --- 11:00 p.m. French President Francois Hollande says he is closing the country's borders and declaring a state of emergency after several dozen people were killed in a series of unprecedented terrorist attacks. Hollande, in a televised address to his nation, said the nation would stand firm and united against the attackers. He said security forces are assaulting one of the sites hit by Friday's attacks, without elaborating. "It's a horror," he said. --- 10:50 p.m. British Prime Minister David Cameron says he is "shocked" by the Paris attacks and violence. Cameron said on Twitter "Our thoughts and prayers are with the French people. We will do whatever we can to help." French police say at least 35 were killed in multiple acts of violence took place in Paris Friday night, including shootings at restaurants and a hostage-taking at a music theater. --- 10:40 p.m. A White House official says President Barack Obama has been briefed on the attacks in Paris. The official says counterterrorism adviser Lisa Monaco briefed the president. The official was not authorized to talk about the private discussion and demanded anonymity. Obama is slated to travel to Paris at the end of the month to attend a United Nations conference on climate change. --- 10:35 p.m. Hundreds of people spilled onto the field of the Stade de France stadium after explosions were heard nearby during a friendly match between the French and German national soccer teams. A stadium announcer made an announcement over the loudspeaker after the match, telling fans to avoid certain exits "due to events outside," without elaborating. At first that prompted some panic, but then the crowds just walked dazed, hugging each other and looking at their phones for the latest news of the violence. Many appeared hesitant to leave amid the uncertainty after France's deadliest attacks in decades. --- 10:22 p.m. Former U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff says it is too early to know exactly what was happening in Paris. Social media posts from purported ISIS supporters could indicate that "there was a group waiting for this, but it could be a group watching," Chertoff said in an interview with MSNBC Friday night. "I don't think we can say this proves anything, but again it supports the idea that it's terrorism," Chertoff said. John Cohen, a former Homeland Security Department counterterrorism coordinator, say the presence of multiple attack scenes at the same time suggested a coordinated effort to "send a message" and raises immediate terror concerns, including for other cities in Europe and potentially the United States as well. He said both Al Qaida and ISIS have relied on the strategy of coordinated attacks in the past. --- 10:14 p.m. A Paris police official said there were at least 100 hostages in a Paris theater following shooting and explosions at two sites in the city. Multiple officials, including one medical official, put the number of dead at between 35 to 40 people. All officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to be publicly named according to police policy. --- 10:10 p.m. U.S. Homeland Security Department officials monitoring the attacks in Paris say there is no known, credible threat against the United States. DHS officials are in contact with their foreign counterparts amid reports of multiple shootings and explosions in Paris. Police officials in France say at least 26 people have been killed and a hostage-taking situation is underway at a theater. --- 10:00 p.m. Two police officials say that at least 26 people have been killed in shootings and explosions around Paris, in the deadliest violence in France in decades. One of the police officials said 11 people were killed in a Paris restaurant in the 10th arrondissement and about 15 killed in the Bataclan theater, where a hostage-taking is under way. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to be publicly named according to police policy. link |
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Post by bloodbought on Nov 13, 2015 19:13:38 GMT -5
At least 60 dead in Paris shootings, hostages held: French media
Developing: General view of the scene that shows rescue services personnel working near the covered bodies outside a restaurant following a shooting incident in Paris  PARIS (Reuters) - France was rocked by multiple, near simultaneous attacks on entertainment sites around Paris on Friday evening and French media said at least 60 people were killed and hostages were being held in a concert hall in the capital. The apparently coordinated gun and bomb attacks came as the country, a founder member of the U.S.-led coalition waging air strikes against Islamic State fighters in Syria and Iraq, was on high alert for terrorist attacks ahead of a global climate conference that opens later this month. Western security sources said they suspected an Islamist militant group was behind the carnage. At least two explosions were heard near the Stade de France national stadium where a France-Germany friendly soccer match was being played, attended by President Francois Hollande. The match continued until the end but panic broke out in the crowd as rumors of the attack spread, and spectators were held in the stadium and assembled spontaneously on the pitch. There were reports of possibly as many as four shootings in central Paris, one of which turned into a hostage taking at a popular rock music venue, witnesses said. View gallery French fire brigade members aid an injured individual … French fire brigade members aid an injured individual near the Bataclan concert hall following fatal … TF1 television said up to 35 people were dead near the soccer stadium, including two suspected suicide bombers in the attack in the neighborhood of Saint Denis, north of central Paris. Police helicopters circled the stadium as Hollande was rushed back to the interior ministry to deal with the situation. The president's office said he had called an emergency cabinet meeting for midnight (2300 GMT) to manage the crisis. Police confirmed there had been shootings and explosions at the stadium, but not the number of casualties. In central Paris, shooting erupted in mid-evening outside a Cambodian restaurant in the capital's 10th district and the Bataclan music hall, where bystanders were evacuated as elite police commandos took up position. Several witnesses told television stations that up to 60 hostages were being held inside the popular concert venue. View gallery General view of the scene that shows the covered bodies … A general view of the scene that shows the covered bodies outside a restaurant following a shooting … "There are lots of people here. I don’t know what’s happening, a sobbing witness who gave her name only as Anna told BFM TV outside the Bataclan hall. "It’s horrible. There’s a body over there. It’s horrible." Elsewhere, police cordoned off a wide area around the Petit Cambodge restaurant where witnesses said gunmen armed with Kalashnikov assault rifles had fired at diners through the plate-glass windows, causing multiple casualties. "I was on my way to my sister's when I heard shots being fired. Then I saw three people dead on the ground, I know they were dead because they were being wrapped up in plastic bags," student Fabien Baron told Reuters. There were also reports of shootings in rue de Charonne in the 11th district and at the central Les Halles shopping center. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the Paris attacks, which came within days of attacks claimed by Islamic State militants on a Shi'ite Muslim district of southern Beirut in Lebanon, and a Russian tourist aircraft which crashed in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula. Earlier on Friday, the United States and Britain said they had launched an attack in the Syrian town of Rakka on a British Islamic State militant known as "Jihadi John" but it was not certain whether he had been killed. link Reuters
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Post by Midnight on Nov 13, 2015 19:27:19 GMT -5
The Drudge headline says over 100 dead, but no further details yet... BREAKING: Dozens dead and held hostage in wave of Paris attacks…
Written by Michelle Jesse, Associate Editor on November 13, 2015 We’re seeing some terrifying breaking news out of Paris, France tonight, as a wave of attacks have left at least 26 people dead, dozens injured, and dozens held hostage. Via Mashable: Parts of Paris are on lockdown Friday night amid a wave of attacks that have left at least 26 people dead, dozens injured. The situation is still unfolding, but as many as 60 people are believed to be held hostage at a concert hall. The attacks began with reports of a shooting at a restaurant, Le Petit Cambodge, in a trendy neighborhood in central Paris. Moments later, witnesses reported hearing multiple explosions outside the Stade de France, where France was playing Germany in a internationally-televised soccer match. Then, witnesses said numerous attackers took dozens of people hostages at a concert venue, La Bataclan, where the American rock band Eagles of Death Metal was playing a show. President François Hollande, who was at the stadium, was reportedly evacuated and is now in an emergency meeting at the Interior Ministry. Although explosions could be heard during the game’s broadcast, it continued to its completion. link |
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Post by Honoria on Nov 13, 2015 19:45:02 GMT -5
Gee, what a surprise...NOT! Breaking: Paris gunmen shouted these TWO phrases right before opening fire
Written by Michelle Jesse, Associate Editor on November 13, 2015 The toll continues to rise in the attacks on Paris, France tonight — with the latest reports suggesting at least 60 dead and more than 100 being held hostage. While the situation to be very chaotic and fluid, we’re getting some clues as to what might be driving the attacks based on some of the things the gunmen were reported to be shouting right before opening fire. And if your worst fears upon seeing the initial news was that this was a case of Islamic terrorism, it’s looking like you might very well be right. Via The Telegraph: ‘Gunmen shouted Allahu Akbar’ Louis, inside the Bataclan, told France Info radio the men opened fire and shouted “Allahu Akbar”. He only saw silhouettes. He said: The men came in and started shooting. Everyone fell to the ground. It was hell. I took my mum, and we hid. Someone near us said they have gone, so we ran out. I was only thinking of escaping. We’re out now. I think people are still inside. It’s a nightmare – a nightmare. And, getting a bit more specific, at least one of the gunmen was reported to have shouted this: ‘It’s for Syria’ Henry Samuel reports: According to BFMTV, one of the gunmen shouted: “It’s for Syria” at Bataclan and Allahu Akbar. While there has been no official comment on motive, it certainly does not appear this is a simple case of “workplace violence.” Shockingly, even President Obama seems to realize that, calling it an “outrageous attempt to terrorize innocent civilians.” Though, of course, he’s not prepared to speculate on who might be behind it . link |
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Post by Shoshanna on Nov 13, 2015 19:48:33 GMT -5
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Post by schwartzie on Nov 13, 2015 19:56:52 GMT -5
‘Unprecedented terrorist attacks’: French President declares state of emergency, closes borders
RT - Coordinated terror attack hits multiple locations across Paris Amid the “unprecedented terrorist attacks” that have resulted in dozens of deaths, French President Francois Hollande has declared a state of emergency and announced that France will close its borders. Dozens of people have lost their lives in a series of apparently coordinated attacks in the French capital on Friday evening. Addressing the nation, President Francois Hollande called on everyone to remain strong and show “compassion and unity.” “There is much to fear, but we must face these fears as a nation that knows how to muster its forces and will confront the terrorists,” the president said. In the wake of the “unprecedented terrorist attacks,” Hollande has ordered the French military to deploy reinforcements in the capital. Russia has condemned the “series of monstrous terrorist attacks in Paris,” with President Putin offering deepest condolences to the French people, as well as his counterpart. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov added that Russia will offer any help it can to bring those responsible for attacks to justice. US president Barack Obama also offered “full support” to France to overcome what he said appeared to be a terrorist attack, and noted that the US and France shared the bonds of “liberte, egalite and fraternite.” “We stand prepared and ready to provide whatever kind of assistance the government and the people of France require,” Obama said. British Prime Minister David Cameron also said he was “shocked” by the violence in the French capital. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the French people,” Cameron said on Twitter. “We will do whatever we can to help. link
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Post by OmegaMan on Nov 13, 2015 20:07:22 GMT -5
Sort of like closing the barn door after the horse is gone, isn't it? :/
I wonder if this isn't the first of many attacks we'll see throughout Europe in the coming days...
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Post by OmegaMan on Nov 13, 2015 20:13:08 GMT -5
BREAKING: Muslim Terrorists In Paris Are Executing Hostages… More Explosions In Background
UPDATE: Fox News is now reporting that 100 or so young people were being held hostage, and that they were being summarily executed by the hostage takers even as they begged for police assistance. Shepard Smith said that he could not remember a moment like it in his 25 years of reporting. France’s cabinet was said to be meeting to discuss the attacks. In addition, five additional explosions were reported. At least 35 people have been confirmed killed, according to Fox, and 100 held hostage in a concert hall in a series of what appeared to be coordinated attacks in Paris Friday evening. At least seven other injuries were also reported, though that number seems destined to rise. The French were said to be closing their borders and deploying military personnel to Paris in response. U.S. law enforcement was also monitoring the situation, according to The Washington Times. The New York Police Department was reportedly deploying personnel and equipment to “sensitive locations,” including diplomatic posts. The U.K. Daily Telegraph reported that a gunman at a concert yelled “This is for Syria” and “Alahu Akbar” during the attack. An explosion in a bar near Paris Stadium was also reported. French President Francois Hollande, who had been watching France host Germany, was moved to a safe location, according to the BBC. One police official reportedly told the Associated Press of an explosion near the Stade de France, north of Paris. The AP was also reporting the number of fatalities at “at least 26.” Others reported at least six simultaneous attacks, indicating, if true, a significant amount of planning and coordination. The connection between the events was not immediately clear, but the evidence for some sort of connection appeared to be growing exponentially. The story is breaking, with updates becoming available almost minute by minute. CNN reported that Lylia Melkonian, a reporter for France 2, had said that victims were shot in at least three separate locations. CNN had not immediately been able to verify that information. Firefighters and other emergency responders were treating the injured, according to reports. The BBC reported that at least one man opened fire with “an automatic gun” at the Petit Cambodge restaurant in Paris’ 11th district. An eyewitness also told the BBC that he heard at least 100 rounds fired at a cafe in rue de Charonn. At least one source said that the attacks were revenge for the death of “Jihadi John” in a U.S. airstrike Thursday night, although the idea of a coordinated attack launched merely 24 hours after his death seems less than fully plausible. The French might not always be our favorite people, but they are our allies, and they do not deserve to be murdered in cold blood. It reminds me of something a Frenchman was quoted as saying after the 9/11 attacks: Today, we are all Americans. Well, tonight, we are all French. link
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Post by shalom on Nov 13, 2015 20:20:14 GMT -5
People are still dying. PLEASE PRAY! At Least 140 Presumed Dead in Paris Terror AttackDeath toll rises as French military descends on capitol Mikael Thalen | Infowars.com - November 13, 2015 45 Comments As many as 140 people are said to be dead in Paris, France, Friday after multiple terror attacks struck the city simultaneously. Agence France-Presse confirmed on Twitter that more than 100 people were killed at the Bataclan concert hall alone. Reports indicate that the terrorists were executing hostages “one by one” before police made their way inside, killing three of the attackers. In response, French President Francois Hollande issued a state of emergency before closing the country’s borders. The French military has been ordered to the nation’s capitol as well. “There is much to fear, but we must face these fears as a nation that knows how to muster its forces and will confront the terrorists,” Hollande told the nation. Information on the attackers has been limited thus far, although multiple eye witnesses have confirmed that the shooters had shouted “Allahu akbar” prior to opening fire. Suspected ISIS Twitter accounts were seen celebrating the attacks a short time after the news broke. Given the complexity and coordinated effort of the attack, it is likely that the event had been planned for some time by terrorists living in France. link |
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Post by shalom on Nov 13, 2015 20:31:34 GMT -5
I updated the headline - I'm seeing reports that more than 160 are now dead. Those killed in the concert hall were listening to an group called "Eagles of Death" - somehow, I doubt that any of them knew the Lord.  Good job on the updates, everyone - thank you. More than 140 dead in series of terror attacks: 100 are killed after hostages are taken at theatre. Kalashnikov-wielding gunman opens fire in restaurant. Two SUICIDE bombs detonate near the Stade de France. Gunfire at shopping centre As many as 142 people have been killed, several wounded in a series of terror attacks in the heart of Paris tonight Up to 112 were massacred in the Bataclan concert hall where terrorists were said to be holding people hostage The terrorists shouted 'Allah Akbar' and 'this is for Syria' as they burst in and opened fire, witnesses have said Police raided the theatre at around midnight, killed the three extremists inside and freed the remaining hostages French President Francois Hollande declared state of emergency for whole country and shut all of its borders By Peter Allen In Paris and Jay Akbar and Tom Wyke for MailOnline Published: 16:15 EST, 13 November 2015 | Updated: 20:18 EST, 13 November 2015 A series of coordinated terror attacks in the heart of Paris have left as many as 142 dead and paralysed the French capital with fear. French police arrested one man who claimed to have been recruited by ISIS alongside three other extremists, it has been reported. Around 112 were massacred at the Bataclan concert hall alone, where terrorists were holding around 100 people hostage, and another 11 at a restaurant shootout yesterday evening. Police raided the theatre at around midnight, killed the three terrorists inside and freed the remaining hostages. Just five miles away, two suicide bombers blew themselves up outside the Stade de France sports stadium where the French football team was playing a friendly match against Germany. French President Francoise Hollande declared a national state of emergency following what he called 'unprecedented terror attacks', shut its borders and deployed 1,500 extra troops to the capital.  Victims lay on the pavement outside Paris restaurant following a terror attack in the French capital tonight Lots of pictures, more on the story, several videos at link |
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Post by J.J.Gibbs on Nov 14, 2015 0:26:43 GMT -5
TERROR HORROR: At least 160 killed in MASS SLAUGHTER across Paris in series of attacksJake Burman, Tom Parfitt and Rob Virtue ParisEXPRESS At least 160 people have been killed in Paris Those dead include 120 people who had been held hostage in the Bataclan Theatre in the French capital. They were slaughtered inside the building before police closed in on the gunmen. The terrorists, who had earlier sprayed gunfire on cafes before entering the venue, then blew themselves up with suicide belts. Earlier, around 40 people were killed in a Kalashkinov shooting inside a restaurant in the 10th arrondissement of the capital and in suicide bombs elsewhere in the city. It is understood to be the deadliest night of violence in paris since the Second World War. The Foreign Office is yet to learn whether any British nationals were caught up in the attacks, a spokesman told Express.co.uk. President Francois Hollande described the events as "terror attacks on an unprecedented level".  Map of where the attacks have taken place Gunmen in the theatre reportedly shouted "It's for Syria" and "Allah Akbar" inside the venue, but there has been no official comment on the motive. The rock band Eagles of Death Metal were performing a sold-out concert at the theatre with the 120 were slaughtered. The bandmates – who include Jesse Hughes and Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age – were among those who were being held hostages but reports suggest they are now safe. An unverified Facebook post wrote of the terrorists siege: "There are still survivors inside the Bataclan. They're killing everyone one-by-one." Automatic gunfire was heard outside the theatre where the hostages were being held. Images on social media showed two men being ushered away from the theatre with blood clearly visible on their shirts. (See the pictures at the link) Official reports later confirmed 120 of the hostages had died. It's unknown how many survivors there are, although reports have suggested over 100 of those inside the building made it out unharmed. Media have reported up to 215 people have also been injured with scores of them critical. Paris is in lockdown as President Hollande has declared a state of emergency, closing the country's borders. He said: "France must be strong in the face of terrorism." "Terrorist attacks are taking place in Paris. It's a horror. We have mobilised all possible forces." A cabinet meeting will take place shortly and the French army has been mobilised. Up to 1,500 soldiers are being sent to the capital. Fri, November 13, 2015 Wounded people are evacuated from the Stade de France  Wounded people are evacuated from the Stade de France [EPA] President Hollande has cancelled his trip to the G20 summit. Deputy mayor of Paris Patrick Klugman said: "We are facing an unknown and historic situation in Paris." The UK Foreign Office has warned Britons in the French capital to "exercise caution" in the wake of the attacks. Crystal Palace defender Martin Kelly was said to have been in the restaurant where the shooting took place. However, he is understood to be safe. A shocked eyewitness known only as Louis told French media about the restaurant shooting: "The men came in and started shooting. Everyone fell to the ground. It was hell. "I took my mum, and we hid. Someone near us said they have gone, so we ran out. I was only thinking of escaping. "We're out now. I think people are still inside. It's a nightmare - a nightmare." Eyewitness Ben Grant said he was in a bar with his wife when the gunshots were fired and he had seen six or seven bodies on the ground. He said: "I was told people in cars had opened fire on the bar. There are lots of dead people. It's pretty horrific to be honest. "I was at the back of the bar. I couldn't see anything. I heard gunshots. People dropped to the ground. We put a table over our heads to protect us. "We were held up in the bar because there was a pile of bodies in front of us." There was also been an explosion in a bar near the Stade de France when an international football match between France and Germany were taking place. This is understood to be a suicide bombing. A separate suicide bombing was carried out around a minute later near the stadium in the north of Paris. Three people are said to have been killed in the explosions. Mr Hollande was at the stadium during the time of the explosion and was quickly escorted away. An official said the explosions were loud enough to penetrate the sounds of cheering fans. Sirens were then immediately heard, and a helicopter was circling overhead. Witness Fabien Baron said: "I was on my way to my sister's when I heard shots being fired. "Then I saw three people dead on the ground, I know they were dead because they were being wrapped up in plastic bags." There are also unconfirmed reports of shootings at the Louvre, the Centre Pompidou and the Les Halles district. Former unconfirmed reports suggested The Jungle migrant camp in Calais had been set on fire. Islamic State jihadis on Twitter have been seen celebrating the attacks. Paris schools, museums, libraries, gyms, swimming pools and markets will reportedly close on Saturday. Reports have also emerged that a former Charlie Hebdo writer who was caught up in the terror attack at the satirical magazine in January was among the first at the scene to help victims. President Hollande said it was a night of 'unprecedented terror' The horrifying attacks come on the same day that notorious ISIS killer Jihadi John was reportedly killed by a US drone strike. The British ISIS militant known as Mohammed Emwazi was “eviscerated” in the strikes as he left a building in the depraved terror group's stronghold of Raqqa. American president Barack Obama said in a statement: "We've seen an outrageous attempt to terrorise innocent civilians. "This is an attack not just on Paris, it is an attack not just on the people of France, but it is an attack on all of humanity and the universal values we share." He added: "My thoughts are with the victims in Paris tonight. We stand in solidarity with the French. Such acts are heinous and immoral." New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said the One World Trade Center spire will be lit blue, white and red in honor of dozens killed in the Paris attacks. Cuomo says the 408-foot spire will be for the days to come. The governor says the act shows New York will stand with the people of France. New York City is now on alert following the attacks in Paris but the US Department of Homeland said there was no specific or direct threat. Prime Minister David Cameron tweeted: "I am shocked by events in Paris tonight. Our thoughts and prayers are with the French people. We will do whatever we can to help." Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond added: "Deeply shocked by appalling attacks in #Paris tonight. "My thoughts are w/ victims & their loved ones. Concerned by reports of hostages taken." Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn wrote: "My thoughts are with the victims in Paris tonight. We stand in solidarity with the French. Such acts are heinous and immoral." In January, 12 people were killed after gunmen stormed the Paris offices of the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo. In June, France launched a terrorism investigation after police found a decapitated body in a gas factory in the south-eastern city of Lyon. Two months later three Americans and one Briton were awarded medals for bravery after they overpowered a heavily armed gunman on a Paris-bound train. The Foreign Office said anyone concerned about relatives in Paris are urged to call 00 33 144 51 3100. link
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Post by J.J.Gibbs on Nov 14, 2015 0:44:34 GMT -5
The real story here is when you click on the link, at the bottom of the page is a survey of sorts that asks you how this story makes you feel. As of right not it's 22% sad, 23% angry, 21% shocked....and 18% HAPPY, and 18% "nothing." What on earth is wrong with people? Never mind, I know...they take after their father the devil.  French witness relates ‘bloodbath’ at packed concert venueFrench fire brigade members aid an injured individual near the Bataclan concert hall following fatal shootings in Paris, France, November 13, 2015. REUTERS/Christian Hartmann Source: AFP Source: AFP PARIS, Nov 14, 2015: A French radio reporter who was inside the Bataclan theatre that came under attack Friday gave a harrowing account of the “10 horrific minutes” when black-clothed gunmen wielding AK-47s entered and fired calmly and randomly at hundreds of screaming concertgoers. “It was a bloodbath,” Julien Pierce, a reporter for France’s Europe 1 radio station, told CNN. “People yelled, screamed and everybody lying on the floor, and it lasted for 10 minutes, 10 minutes, 10 horrific minutes where everybody was on the floor covering their head(s).” “We heard so many gunshots and the terrorists were very calm, very determined and they reloaded three or four times their weapons and they didn’t shout anything. They didn’t say anything.” Pierce recounted seeing 20 to 25 bodies on the floor and others very badly injured. Police sources later said at least 100 people were killed at the attack on the concert venue. Another witness said gunmen shouting “Allahu akbar” (God is greatest) fired into the terrified crowd who had gathered to watch a concert by the American rock band Eagles of Death Metal at the Bataclan theatre in eastern Paris on Friday night. ‘Yelling and screaming’ Pierce said he was lucky to be near the front of the stage as the gunmen, wearing black clothes and wielding AK-47s, opened fire. “People started to try to escape to walk on people on the floor and try to find the exits, and I found an exit when the terrorists reloaded their guns in the meantime, and I climbed on the stage and we found an exit.” The journalist said he took a teenage girl who was bleeding heavily and carried her to a taxi where he told the driver to take her to hospital. He said that as he was speaking to CNN some of his friends were still hiding inside the theatre. “They are hiding in some kind of room in the dark and they text me, and they are very afraid, of course, and they are waiting for the police to intervene, but it’s been over two hours now and this is terrible.” Later in the night police stormed the venue. Three suspected assailants were shot dead during the assault. Pierce said he saw the face of one of the gunmen, who was probably 20 to 25 years old. Asked if he could hear what language they were speaking, he replied, “Nothing. I heard nothing, just the yelling and screaming of the people. They didn’t shout anything. They didn’t say anything. They said nothing. They just shot. They just shoot. They were just shooting at people.” “What happened was terrible. I mean, honestly, 15 minutes, 10 minutes of gunshots firing randomly in a small concert room. I mean, it’s not a huge concert room. It’s a small one. Two thousand people were there maximum and it was — it was horrible.” link |
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Post by J.J.Gibbs on Nov 14, 2015 1:16:25 GMT -5
Breaking: Another Deadly Attack in Paris
Another deadly attack despite gun ban
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Post by OmegaMan on Nov 14, 2015 1:25:48 GMT -5
BREAKING VIDEO=> FIRST Video After Terrorist Strike on Paris Forum Des Halles Shopping Mall
Jim Hoft Nov 13th, 2015 6:31 pm 23 Comments The Forum Des Halles Shopping Center tonight was also attacked by terrorists tonight— Video at the link
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Post by Midnight on Nov 14, 2015 1:34:29 GMT -5
No doubt the outrage will spread to other countries. Calais migrant camp ‘on fire’ as France reels from Paris terror attacks
Anti-migrant group known as 'The Angry of Calais' posted videos of the inferno on Facebook Mikey Smith | Mirror - November 13, 2015 Fire has reportedly broken out at the ‘jungle’ refugee camp in the port of Calais in the hours following the terror attacks in Paris. At around 11pm volunteers at the camp began sharing pictures of the blaze on social media. And soon after an anti-migrant group known as ‘The Angry of Calais’ posted videos of the inferno on Facebook. One video appears to show emergency services vehicles arriving at the camp, which houses around around 6,000 migrants – mainly young men from Syria and North Africa. It’s not known whether the fire is connected to the attacks in the French capital. In recent days tensions have been increased in the camp, with migrants frequently clashing with police. Riot police were deployed to the site on Wednesday night, who fired tear gas at protesters and arrested a number of migrants. Video at link |
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Post by PurplePuppy on Nov 14, 2015 1:47:18 GMT -5
Here's an update of what happened so far: Paris terror attacks: What we know so far about how events unfolded 00:18, 14 Nov 2015 Updated 05:14, 14 Nov 2015 By Peter Allen At least 158 dead, 118 killed at concert, six separate attacks, two suicide bombings  Reuters A general view of the scene that shows rescue services personnel working near the covered bodies A least 158 people were shot dead or killed in bomb blasts in a series of coordinated Friday 13 terrorist attacks which also saw scores of people taken hostage in Paris. Hundreds of others were seriously wounded as Kalashnikov-wielding gunmen attacked a Korean restaurant in the Bastille area of the city, while grenade blasts were also heard around 9pm. It led to a State of Emergency being declared by President Francois Hollande – the first since the 2005 riots across suburban housing estates – as he spoke of ‘an unprecedented terrorist attack’. It is thought that at least eleven died in the restaurant shoot-out, while gunfire was also heard in other bars around the French capital.  REUTERS French police secure the area near the Bataclan concert hall Panic: French police secure the area near the Bataclan concert hall following fatal shootings in Paris, France, November 13, 2015 There were also explosions heard around the Stade de France, where President Hollande was attending the friendly football match between the national team and World Champions Germany. Read more: Paris attacks: Hostages took to social media urging police to raid theatre Two of the explosions were suicide bombers, it later emerged. VIEW GALLERY (At link) Policemen patrol the streets during gunfire near the Bataclan concert hall President Hollande was evacuated at 10.15pm and taken to Place Beauvau, the interior ministry. There he met up with other senior politicians, including his Prime Minister Manuel Valls, for an emergency meeting.  Wounded: French fire brigade members aid an injured individual near the Bataclan concert hall following fatal shootings in Paris Meanwhile, police reported a ‘hostage taking situation’ in the Bataclan concert hall, in the 11 arrondissement, with ‘hundreds inside’. Read more: Paris attacks: Louvre and shopping centre 'among 6 high-profile sites targeted by terrorists' At least one man with an automatic weapon was holding those inside prisoner but reports have since suggested as many as five or six gunmen were involved. 118 concert goers being held hostage died in the theatre. Three gunmen are said to have been killed as police stormed the building just after midnight (GMT). Eight gunmen in total are said to have been killed across the city. Seven of the terrorists died detonating suicide bombs, it was later revealed. The Louvre, Pompidou Centre & Les Halles shopping centre were also targeted in the attacks although details of those incidents are still vague.  Response: Security forces seen in the aftermath of an alleged terrorist attack at a restaurant All have been threatened by both al-Qaeda and IS in recent months. City streets soon started emptying of civilians as the severity of the attacks sank in. At least 100 rounds were fired at a cafe in rue de Charonne.  High alert: Policemen patrol the streets during gunfire near the Bataclan concert hall Anti-terrorist police could be seen flooding into the area, as well as soldiers. Ambulances and fire engines are close to the restaurant, which is close to where the Charlie Hebdo attack happened in January.  State of emergency: A person watches TV in Rennes as French president Francois Hollande adresses the nation The attack on the satirical magazine left 13 people dead, as two Paris-born terrorists slaughtered cartoonists and other members of staff before escaping in a stolen car. Four Jewish shoppers were also murdered in the same set of attacks inside a Kosher supermarket in nearby Vincennes. The French capital has been on a high state of alert ever since, with security services warning that another attack was always likely. Video at link |
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Post by PurplePuppy on Nov 14, 2015 1:53:06 GMT -5
French President Promises: ‘We Will Be Ruthless’Blake Neff Reporter 8:35 PM 11/13/2015 Speaking early Saturday morning in Paris, French president Francois Hollande promised a “ruthless” response after a terrorist attack that has left at least 158 people dead. “We will lead the fight, it will be ruthless,” Hollande said, according to France 24. His declaration came shortly after the French government announced a state of emergency, curfew, and the closure of France’s borders. While France famously led opposition to the invasion of Iraq in 2003, the country has intervened in several conflicts involving Islamic terrorism. France invaded Mali to in 2014 to throw back Islamic militants that were advancing south from the Sahara, and the country also spearheaded the European intervention in the Libyan civil war. The country has also played a role in the America-led anti-ISIS coalition, which may have helped inspire Friday’s attack. Hollande’s remarks suggest that role could be stepped up dramatically. link
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Post by schwartzie on Nov 14, 2015 14:38:07 GMT -5
Looks like the number of those killed vary with whatever source you look at; we probably won't have a final count for a few days. There's nothing really new in this article, but I find the frequent use of "that word" in the news lately interesting. Little do they realize, if they're not saved, "They ain't seen nuttin yet!"  Please pray for the survivors of these attacks, that the Lord will use the horror to turn them to Him. Apocalyptic scenes as Paris hit by multiple attacksAFPAFP – 5 hours ago Sirens blaring, blood on the roads, weeping relatives: nightmare scenes played out on the streets of Paris on Friday night as at least 120 people were killed in simultaneous attacks. Pierre Montfort lives close to a Cambodian restaurant on Rue Bichat, where one of seven attacks took place in a night of bloodshed not seen in decades. "We heard the sound of guns, 30-second bursts. It was endless. We thought it was fireworks," he said. Another witness described the scene: "For a moment, we could only see the flames from the gun. We were scared, how did we know he wasn't going to shoot the windows?" Florence said she arrived by scooter a minute or so after. "It was surreal, everyone was on the ground. No one was moving inside the Petit Cambodge restaurant and everyone was on the ground in bar Carillon," she said. "It was very calm -- people didn't understand what was going on. A young girl was being carried in the arms of a young man. She seemed to be dead." On Rue Charonne, a little further east, fire engines drive past, their sirens wailing. A man said he heard shots ring out, in sharp bursts, for two or three minutes. "I saw several bloody bodies on the ground. I don't know if they were dead," he said. "There was blood everywhere," said another witness. Outside the Saint-Louis Hospital in the north of the capital a police cordon had been set up. Standing nearby, a tearful man said his sister had been killed. At his side, his mother burst into tears and collapsed into his arms. "They won't let us pass," he said, pointing at the intersection 50 metres (yards) away. Further east, near the Bataclan concert hall and not far from the scene of another deadly attack in January on the offices of satirical French magazine Charlie Hebdo, the area was on lock down. Police say around 100 people were killed at the music venue, with reports saying armed attackers shot dead people attending a rock concert one by one before police stormed the building. "My wife was in Bataclan, it's a catastrophe," said one man as he tried to run into the site but was blocked by the police cordon. "All I can tell you is that it's worse than Charlie Hebdo," said a security officer. In the north of Paris, near the Stade de France stadium, three explosions left at least five dead as France were playing a friendly football match against Germany. "We heard explosions 25 minutes after the start of the match. It continued as normal. I thought it was a joke," said Ludovic Klein, 37, who came from Limoges to watch the match with his 10-year-old son. link |
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Post by OmegaMan on Nov 14, 2015 23:06:50 GMT -5
Unedited Videos of Paris Attacks by ISIS (WARNING: Graphic) -- UPDATE: Dramatic new video of victims being dragged down the streets of Paris, FranceVideos are at the link
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Post by Berean on Nov 15, 2015 1:19:06 GMT -5
Revealed: Horrifying Thing Terrorists Did To Hostages Inside Paris Theater Will Make You SickThe hatred is almost beyond description. Jack Davis November 14, 2015 at 1:52pm The “bloodbath” that swept the Bataclan theater in Paris Friday night was a time of tension and horror as terrorists picked their targets while others tried to flee a fate many could not escape. “People inside #Bataclan begging police to raid the theatre because the terrorists are slaughtering them one by one,” CNN Australia anchor Michael Holmes tweeted Friday night. One hostage used the time he had to plead for rescuers to hurry. “I’m still inside. On the first floor. Seriously injured!” Benjamin Cazenoves wrote on Facebook. “It happened so fast. There are survivors inside. They shot everyone. One by one.” Cazenoves was wounded, but lived. Gunmen also hunted down disabled people who were sat in an area specially set aside for wheelchair users, the Telegraph reported. “They went into the back room where there were people in wheelchairs and they just started shooting them and every time anybody tried to get out a guy would come out and start shooting again,” said Helen Wilson, who was injured in the attack that left one friend dead. The carnage grew as concertgoers in the theater tried to run. “They didn’t stop firing. There was blood everywhere, corpses everywhere. Everyone was trying to flee,’ said Pierre Janaszak, a radio presenter who was at the concert. “They shot everyone who was at the bar,” another witness said, one of three young men whose names were given as Gregoire, Thomas and Nicolas. “Then we saw a movement in the pit. It was like a gust of wind in the wheat. Everyone fell, dead, wounded and alive. Even if you have no experience of war, we immediately understood what was happening.” “It was a bloodbath inside the theater,” recalled survivor Julien Pearce. “It lasted for 10 minutes. Ten horrific minutes where everybody was on the floor covering their head.” Video at link
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Post by J.J.Gibbs on Nov 15, 2015 15:07:42 GMT -5
Manhunt Underway as Investigation of Paris Attacks WidensAurelien Breeden and Adam Nossiter PARIS — The Paris terrorist attacks were carried out with the help of three French brothers living in Belgium, the authorities said on Sunday, as they asked for the public’s help in finding one of them. The French authorities said they were seeking Abdeslam Salah, 26, and described him as dangerous. The police warned the public: “Do not intervene on your own, under any circumstances.” Belgian officials said that his brother Ibrahim had died in the three-hour massacre on Friday night, which killed at least 132 people, and that another brother, Mohamed, was detained on Saturday in the Molenbeek area of Brussels. The carefully coordinated attacks on Friday night, which President François Hollande says are the work of the Islamic State, increasingly appear to have involved extensive planning by a network of men with sophisticated weapons who plotted their attack from outside the country. The French interior minister, Bernard Cazeneuve, after meeting in Paris with his Belgian counterpart, Jan Jambon, said the attackers had “prepared abroad and had mobilized a team of participants located on Belgian territory, and who may have benefited — the investigation will tell us more — from complicity in France.” Latest Updates French officials initially described eight attackers, but on Saturday night said that only seven had died — six by blowing themselves up and one in a shootout with police. They said on Sunday that they were looking for an eighth man believed to have been involved in the attacks. It was not immediately clear Sunday evening whether Mr. Salah was that eighth man. Crucial, if sparse, details about four of the attackers came into view on Sunday. Paris Bloodshed May Be the Latest of Many ISIS Attacks Around the World  At least a dozen countries have had attacks since the Islamic State, or ISIS, began to pursue a global strategy in the summer of 2014. One attacker — whose nationality is not yet known — evidently posed as a Syrian migrant. The Serbian newspaper Blic published a photograph of a passport page that identified its holder as Ahmad al-Mohammad, 25, a native of Idlib, Syria. He passed through the Greek island of Leros on Oct. 3 and the Serbian border town of Presevo on Oct. 7, officials in those countries said. It was not clear whether the passport was authentic; the civil war that has sent millions of Syrians fleeing and fueled the rise of the Islamic State has also created a large black market for forged Syrian passports. At least three other attackers were French citizens. Two had been living in the Brussels area, including one in the community of Molenbeek, according to the Belgian authorities. The third was Ismaël Omar Mostefaï, 29, a native of Courcouronnes, France, who had been living in Chartres, 60 miles southwest of Paris, and who, along with two other gunmen, killed 89 people at the Bataclan concert hall. Terror in Paris: Minute by Minute Video and stories from eyewitnesses reveal the horror of the attacks across Paris. By DEBORAH ACOSTA and YOUSUR AL-HLOU on November 15, 2015. Watch in Times Video » (At link) Mr. Mostefaï was the middle of five children born to an Algerian father and a Portuguese mother, and he once worked at a bakery, according to a former neighbor at the housing development just outside Chartres where the family used to live. “It was a normal family, just like everybody else,” said the neighbor, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. “He played with my children. He never spoke about religion. He was normal. He had a joie de vivre. He laughed a lot.” How ISIS Expanded Its Threat The Islamic State emerged from a group of militants in Iraq to take over large portions of Iraq and Syria, and now threatens other countries in Europe and elsewhere. For reasons that are unclear, Mr. Mostefaï changed. “It was in 2010, that’s when he started to become radicalized,” the neighbor said. “We don’t understand what happened.” As the authorities continued to examine Mr. Mostefaï’s motivations and background, other clues emerged from official accounts in France and Belgium. The World Stands in Solidarity The day after the deadly attacks in Paris, people around the globe turned out to light candles, lay down flowers and console each other. By AINARA TIEFENTHÄLER on November 14, 2015. Photo by Video by Ainara Tiefenthäler. Photo by Hilary Swift for The New York Times.. Watch in Times Video » Two vehicles used in the attacks had been rented in Belgium early last week, the federal prosecutor for Brussels announced on Sunday. One of them, a gray Volkswagen Polo, was abandoned near the Bataclan after being used by the three terrorists who died there. The other, a black Seat Leon, was found early Sunday morning in the eastern Paris suburb of Montreuil. Three Kalashnikov rifles were found inside it. The vehicle may have been used as a getaway car for the shooters at restaurants in central Paris. Many of the attacks were just minutes apart. The Belgian authorities also announced that they had detained seven men. Three of them passed through a roadside check in Cambrai, France, at 9:10 a.m. Saturday, while on the A2 highway heading to Belgium. They made their way to Molenbeek, where the authorities detained them for unknown reasons and seized the car on Saturday afternoon. Fundamental questions remained: how the terrorists, who acted in three synchronized teams, managed to pull off the deadliest terrorist attack in Western Europe since 2004, and whether they received direction from Islamic State leaders in Iraq and Syria, who until now had never taken responsibility for such a large-scale attack in the West. Surviving Paris: Pulled From the Gunfire Gauthier, 24, was in the Bataclan concert hall in Paris when assailants opened fire. He was shot but escaped when a man dragged him to safety. By EMILAND GUILLERME, BEN LAFFIN and SPENCER WOLFF on November 14, 2015. Watch in Times Video » The revelations that three of the attackers were French citizens were likely to exacerbate long-standing fears in France about the place of Muslim immigrants and converts in French society, 10 months after a smaller set of deadly attacks on the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo, on a kosher grocery and against a police officer. Mr. Mostefaï was one of three hostage-takers at the Bataclan, and was identified based on a print from his severed finger. In Their Words: Seeing Chaos and Looking for Hope in Paris After the deadly attacks in the French capital, people spoke of the horror and how they were coping with their grief. Mr. Mostefaï grew up around Chartres, where he lived until 2012. According to the Paris prosecutor, François Molins, he was arrested in connection with a series of low-level crimes from 2004 to 2010 and had been under surveillance since 2010, having been flagged in a French security services database as someone who had fallen under the influence of extremist Islamist beliefs. Six of his relatives have been detained for questioning; on Sunday, other relatives told French television that he had been estranged from them after a falling-out. In his Facebook post, Mayor Jean-Pierre Gorges of Chartres expressed despair and frustration. “How many deaths will occur before our political leaders understand and take action?” he asked, describing the “emotion, incomprehension and anger” he felt at the deaths. Video of Attack on Paris Concert Hall Graphic video: Concertgoers, some visibly wounded, fled into an alley behind the Bataclan concert hall after assailants opened fire Friday night. The video was recorded by Daniel Psenny, a journalist for Le Monde. By LE MONDE, VIA REUTERS on November 14, 2015. Photo by Daniel Psenny/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images. Watch in Times Video » (At link) Mayor Gorges called for strong action, without asking questions first. “Our leaders don’t need to prove they are legitimate; we have elected them, so they take responsibility of the executive power of the republic,” he wrote on Facebook. “Their duty is to act effectively, and ultimately we don’t need to know how.” On Sunday, Mr. Hollande met his predecessor and political rival, Nicolas Sarkozy, at the Élysée Palace. Afterward, Mr. Sarkozy urged decisive action against the Islamic State — a position Mr. Hollande has also taken. “We need everybody in order to exterminate Daesh, and especially the Russians,” Mr. Sarkozy told reporters, using an Arabic acronym for the Islamic State. Russia’s president, Vladimir V. Putin, is a steadfast ally of Syria’s embattled president, Bashar al-Assad, and recently began an aerial bombing campaign in Syria. The United States and France say the attacks have not been aimed at the Islamic State, as Mr. Putin claims, but at other groups opposing Mr. Assad. Mr. Sarkozy, who has been known to be tough on immigrants during his tenure as president, cautioned against linking the refugee crisis with the terrorist attacks, but added: “We need, together, to rein in the wave of migration ensuing from the Syrian situation.” As President Obama and other leaders of the Group of 20 advanced and emerging economies gathered for a scheduled summit meeting in Antalya, Turkey, on the doorstep of the Syrian crisis, France’s president, François Hollande, stayed behind in Paris, his nation in mourning. As the investigation proceeded, Mr. Obama told reporters in Turkey that the “skies have been darkened by the horrific attacks” in Paris and pledged that America would support France, its oldest ally. “We stand in solidarity with them in hunting down the perpetrators of this crime and bringing them to justice,” Mr. Obama said after meeting with Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, at the start of a 10-day trip that will also take him to the Philippines and Malaysia. At the same summit meeting, the president of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, said there was no need for a complete review of the bloc’s refugee policy in response to the terrorist attacks. “Those who organized, who perpetrated the attacks are the very same people who the refugees are fleeing and not the opposite,” Agence-France Presse quoted Mr. Juncker as saying. “And so there is no need for an overall review of the European policy on refugees.” Pope Francis on Sunday deplored the terrorist attacks in Paris, which he described as an inconceivable “barbarity” and an “unspeakable affront to human dignity” that “leaves us shocked” and must be condemned. “The path of violence and hatred does not solve the problems of humanity, and using the name of God to justify this path is blasphemy,” Francis told thousands of pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square for his weekly Angelus address. “We wonder how the human heart can conceive and carry out such horrific events, which have shaken not only France but the whole world,” Francis said, before asking the faithful present to pray with him for the victims of the attacks. Security measures at St. Peter’s, already significant, were increased on Sunday. The Italian government on Saturday said it would bolster surveillance of potential terrorist targets. link
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Post by J.J.Gibbs on Nov 15, 2015 15:12:21 GMT -5
Paris Attackers Communicated With ISIS, Officials SayKatrin Bennhold and Michael S. Schmidt Police officers in the Molenbeek area of Brussels on Saturday. Olivier Hoslet/European Pressphoto Agency LONDON — The attackers in Friday’s terrorist assault in Paris communicated at some point beforehand with known members of the Islamic State in Syria, officials on both sides of the Atlantic say, adding evidence to the assertions that the radical group coordinated or helped carry out the attacks rather than simply inspiring them. President François Hollande of France has characterized the attacks, which killed at least 129 people on Friday night, as “an act of war” carried out by the Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL. He provided no specific information, but the Islamic State released statements on Saturday claiming responsibility for the attacks, part of increasing indications that the group is becoming more capable of extending its reach far beyond its base in Syria and Iraq. “It is an act of war that was prepared, organized and planned from abroad, with complicity from the inside, which the investigation will help establish,” Mr. Hollande said on Saturday. While the information made available so far about the links between the Islamic State and the Paris attackers was not definitive, it suggested at a minimum that the assailants had not acted totally on their own. Latest Updates Describing the case for the group’s role, American and French officials said the attackers had operated with high levels of sophistication, beyond what would be expected of a plot in which the assailants were merely inspired to act by a radical group rather than being trained or equipped by it. The attackers are believed to have communicated using encryption technology, according to European officials who had been briefed on the investigation but were not authorized to speak publicly. It was not clear whether the encryption was part of widely used communications tools, like WhatsApp, which the authorities have a hard time monitoring, or something more elaborate. Intelligence officials have been pressing for more leeway to counter the growing use of encryption. What We Know About the Paris Attackers The disciplined way some of the attackers handled themselves during the assault and evidence of some military-style training — for example, having one attacker continue shooting while another reloaded his weapon — also suggested that the plot involved considerable planning and input from an organized group, a French official said. Following the attacks, intelligence and law-enforcement agencies reviewed intercepted communications and concluded that the attackers had been in touch with members of the Islamic State in Syria, American and French officials said. The Paris attack has forced a broad reassessment in the West of the Islamic State’s strategy and capabilities. The group has also claimed responsibility for the crash of a Russian charter plane carrying vacationers home from a resort in Egypt, killing all 224 people aboard. On Sunday, President Obama met with other world leaders in Turkey, where containing and fighting the Islamic State was a major topic of conversation. link
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Please pray for the survivors of these attacks, that the Lord will use the horror to turn them to Him. 
