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Frenchman Plotting ‘Imminent’ Attack Is Charged With Terrorism

The corner of Rue Max Roos and Rue Maurice Ombiaux in the Schaerbeek area of Brussels on March 22 after the attacks at an airport and a subway station. CreditBart Vanderkelen/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

PARIS

By AURELIEN BREEDEN and LILIA BLAISEMARCH 30, 2016

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• PARIS — A suspected Islamic State operative who was arrested last week had amassed a trove of guns and bomb-making equipment, including the type of explosive used in terrorist attacks in Paris and Brussels, the French authorities announced on Wednesday, reinforcing fears that militants are planning additional assaults on Europe.
  
  The suspect, Reda Kriket, a 34-year-old Frenchman, was arrested on Thursday afternoon in Boulogne-Billancourt, a western suburb of Paris. That evening, the authorities raided a fourth-floor apartment Mr. Kriket had rented under a fake name in Argenteuil, a northwestern suburb that was once a popular weekend getaway and a subject for Impressionist painters.
  
  Inside the apartment, the authorities found “an arsenal of weapons and explosives of an unprecedented size,” which led them to believe Mr. Kriket had been planning an “imminent attack,” the Paris prosecutor, François Molins, said at a news conference on Wednesday evening, describing for the first time the scope of the plot.
  
  The arsenal included explosive materials — among them TATP, which was used in suicide bombs that were set off in Paris on Nov. 13 and in Brussels on March 22 — along with Kalashnikov assault rifles, a submachine gun, pistols, ammunition, four boxes containing thousands of small steel balls, stolen French passports, brand-new cellphones, a tear-gas canister and two computers with instructions to make explosives.
  
  A judge who focuses on terrorism cases charged Mr. Kriket on Wednesday with terrorist conspiracy, possession of weapons and explosives, and falsification of documents, among other offenses, Mr. Molins said.
  
  
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04 April 2016 - 21H45
45 kilos of ammo found in Dutch flat linked to French attack plot

© ANP/AFP/File | Police search a house in Rotterdam, on March 30, 2016, following the arrest of four terror suspects
THE HAGUE (AFP) -

Around 45 kilograms (99 pounds) of ammunition were found in an apartment in the Dutch city of Rotterdam that has been linked to a foiled terror attack on France, prosecutors said Monday.

French suspect Anis Bahri was arrested at the flat in the southern port city on March 27 at France's request. He is suspected of planning an attack in France for the Islamic State group along with Reda Kriket, another suspect arrested near Paris a few days before him.

"We have found around 45 kilos of ammunition, including two types of bullets which can both be used with Kalashnikovs," Wim de Bruin, a spokesman for the national prosecutor's office said.

He said no explosives or any arms had been found.

Bahri has been fighting extradition and is in custody until Dutch authorities take a decision on whether to send him to France.

© 2016 AFP


45 kilos of ammo found in Dutch flat linked to French attack plot

@ThreeLetterAgency

Belgian police arrest 3 in Paris terror attacks investigations

© Virginie Lefour / Belga / AFP | Police stand outside the council chamber in Brussels on April 7, 2016 during the court appearance of Salah Abdeslam, the sole surviving suspect of the November 13 Paris attacks

Text by FRANCE 24 Follow france24_en on twitter

Latest update : 2016-04-12

Belgian police arrested three people in a Brussels suburb on Tuesday during a new raid linked to the investigation into the November terror attacks on Paris, federal prosecutors said.
"Three people were arrested and held for questioning," a statement said, adding the raid took place in the Belgian capital's southern suburb of Uccle.

It said the raid was carried out "in the context of the investigation that the federal prosecutor opened following the attacks in Paris on November 13" which left 130 people dead and hundreds wounded.

The investigating judge will decide Wednesday whether to continue holding the three, it said, without giving any further details.

The prosecutor's office announced earlier that Belgium had charged two new suspects over the March 22 Brussels airport and metro bombings that left 32 people dead and hundreds wounded.

Paris-Brussels links

Investigators have uncovered extensive links between the Paris and Brussels attacks, both of which were claimed by the Islamic State group.

The DNA of Brussels airport suicide bomber Najim Laachraoui was, for example, found on a suicide vest recovered at the Bataclan concert hall in Paris where 90 people died on November 13.

On Friday, police netted another key Paris suspect, Mohamed Abrini, dubbed "the man in the hat" after he was seen in CCTV footage at Brussels airport shortly before the two bombers struck there.

Belgium’s prosecutor’s office said on Sunday that the Brussels attackers had originally planned another assault in France but the arrest of Paris suspect Salah Abdeslam on March 18, coupled with a massive series of police raids, made them change plans and target Belgium instead.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP)

Belgian police arrest 3 in Paris terror attacks investigations

What a cesspool.

 

[ill]

Belgian PM backs minister's comment that some Muslims cheered attacks

"I can confirm that there have been endorsements for the attacks," Michel said in a statement, although this was only from a small minority.

"We must neither generalize nor gloss over this," Michel said, adding that Jambon had not been generalizing.

Jambon said in the De Standaard interview that previous governments had disregarded warning signs for years and that current measures would not have immediate success.

"A significant part of the Muslim community danced following the attacks ... That is the real problem," Jambon told De Standaard.

"Terrorists we can pick up, remove from society. But they are just a pimple. Underneath is a much more difficult cancer to treat. We can handle it. But not overnight," he added.

 

[thekingsmen]

Belgian PM backs minister's comment that some Muslims cheered attacks

"I can confirm that there have been endorsements for the attacks," Michel said in a statement, although this was only from a small minority.

"We must neither generalize nor gloss over this," Michel said, adding that Jambon had not been generalizing.

Jambon said in the De Standaard interview that previous governments had disregarded warning signs for years and that current measures would not have immediate success.

"A significant part of the Muslim community danced following the attacks ... That is the real problem," Jambon told De Standaard.

"Terrorists we can pick up, remove from society. But they are just a pimple. Underneath is a much more difficult cancer to treat. We can handle it. But not overnight," he added.

 

[mbewane]

Belgian PM backs minister's comment that some Muslims cheered attacks

"I can confirm that there have been endorsements for the attacks," Michel said in a statement, although this was only from a small minority.

"We must neither generalize nor gloss over this," Michel said, adding that Jambon had not been generalizing.

Jambon said in the De Standaard interview that previous governments had disregarded warning signs for years and that current measures would not have immediate success.

"A significant part of the Muslim community danced following the attacks ... That is the real problem," Jambon told De Standaard.

"Terrorists we can pick up, remove from society. But they are just a pimple. Underneath is a much more difficult cancer to treat. We can handle it. But not overnight," he added.

First off fukk Jambon

Dude is now backtracking and saying he "never said anything about Muslim cheering after the attack"

Just the week before he compared the terrorists hiding in Molenbeek to Jews hiding during WW2

Lest we forget this dude has ties with extreme-right circles in Flanders and said some Flemish people "had their reasons" to collaborate with the Nazis

 

[88m3]

First off fukk Jambon

Dude is now backtracking and saying he "never said anything about Muslim cheering after the attack"

Just the week before he compared the terrorists hiding in Molenbeek to Jews hiding during WW2

Lest we forget this dude has ties with extreme-right circles in Flanders and said some Flemish people "had their reasons" to collaborate with the Nazis

that's wild....




Btw are they still raiding people left and right or did things settle down again?

 

[mbewane]

that's wild....




Btw are they still raiding people left and right or did things settle down again?

Yeah they are...I'm living in Paris but obviously I try to follow the news, raids are still happening (in France too btw), it's just not frontpage news these days

 

[blackzeus]

It could have been worse, it could have been a plane heading to the US. I guess the powers that be figured better in the airport than on a plane. RIP to the dead and my condolences to all the families experiencing this tragedy, I wouldn't even wish sh*t like this on my enemies

 

[88m3]

Yeah they are...I'm living in Paris but obviously I try to follow the news, raids are still happening (in France too btw), it's just not frontpage news these days

Gotcha


Btw what's the deal with Henry de Lesquen? France 24 just ran a little piece on him, apparently he wants to make Belgium a vassal state, tear down the Eiffel tower, and ban Black music from the radio. Will he be replacing Hollande?

Top 7 des propositions douteuses du candidat de l'ultra-droite Henry de Lesquen - Le Lab Europe 1

@Liu Kang

 

[mbewane]

Gotcha


Btw what's the deal with Henry de Lesquen? France 24 just ran a little piece on him, apparently he wants to make Belgium a vassal state, tear down the Eiffel tower, and ban Black music from the radio. Will he be replacing Hollande?

Top 7 des propositions douteuses du candidat de l'ultra-droite Henry de Lesquen - Le Lab Europe 1

@Liu Kang

Never heard of dude...his propositions sound like a parody of Le Pen Looks like the guys who get 1.2 % of votes

 

[JahFocus CS]

Just the week before he compared the terrorists hiding in Molenbeek to Jews hiding during WW2

 

[ADevilYouKhow]

France : le gouvernement veut prolonger l’état d’urgence jusqu’à fin juillet

 

[mbewane]

Those dudes are crazy breh...very little people are aware that the biggest party in Flanders (and thus in Belgium, but french-speaking Belgians can't vote for or against them), the Flemish nationalists of N-VA have historic and deep ties with the Extreme-Right and neo-nazi groups. At least a third of their electorate comes from the historic Flemish extreme-right party Vlaams Belang.

 

[88m3]

French Special Forces Stage Mock Terror Attack So They Can Learn to Get Along


By Pierre-Louis Caron

April 20, 2016 | 2:55 pm
On Wednesday, nine officers from France's elite police units were cast as terrorists for the purpose of a training exercise that was staged at Montparnasse train station, in the southwest of Paris. Officers entered the station in the early hours of Wednesday, armed with guns and mock suicide vests.

Officers from the Anti-Crime Brigade (BAC) were the first to arrive on the scene, successfully neutralizing one of the terrorists, in a scene that bore some resemblance to the November 13 Bataclan concert hall attack, in which a BAC officer shot one of the attackers before awaiting backup.

After pretending to fire onto a crowd played by officers in training, the fake terrorists split up into two teams. One of the units holed up inside the station building with several hostages, while the other boarded trains that were stationed on the platform, taking passengers hostage inside the cars.

This part of the exercise was reminiscent of the foiled terror attack on board a high-speed train on its way to Paris from Amsterdam in August 2015.

Officers from France's elite police units take part in a training exercise in the main hall of Paris' Montparnasse train station, on April 19. (Photo by J. Rocha/French Ministry of the Interior)

As part of the simulated exercise, officers from France's three elite police units then launched simultaneous raids at the various attack sites in the station. The exercise, which was overseen by French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve, ended around 2am.

Paris: simulation d'attaque terroriste à la... by ITELE

More than just a training exercise, the simulated terror attack was an opportunity for the government to test out its new plan to improve coordination across France's various elite intervention squads.

Last year's attacks highlighted the tensions that exist between the country's elite forces, as well as the lack of coordination during sensitive operations. In situations where every single minute counts, historic rivalries between these forces could have dire consequences.

Back in October 2015, just two weeks before the November 13 attacks that killed 130 people in and around Paris, Cazeneuve had called for better cooperation between the various forces.

He repeated his call for tighter collaboration in February, when he unveiled major equipment and weapons upgrades for French cops.

Related: More Cops With Bigger Guns Will Stop Terrorists, Says French Government

Unveiling the government's new response strategy Tuesday, Cazeneuve said that emergencies like terror attacks, hostage situations or large-scale shootings would now be managed by the first unit to reach the scene. This new strategy overrides the previous divisions of operations, which saw the police overseeing security in the cities, while the gendarmes — a military police force — handled rural areas.

From now on, for example, the Gendarmerie's National Intervention Group (GIGN) — one of the country's three main elite units — will be invited to intervene in the capital.

As well as the geographical divisions, certain areas of security are subject to specific agreements between the authorities and the various forces. The security of nuclear sites, for example, has been overseen by the Gendarmerie since 2009.

"Faced with enemies who are determined to attack us while causing the most damage possible, with no desire to negotiate... we need effective forces," Cazeneuve toldrepresentatives from the three branches on Tuesday. "Now is not the time for forces to compete with one another, now is the time for unity."

French special forces arrive onto the platform as part of a training exercise in Montparnasse train station, on April 19. (Photo by Y. Malenfer/French Ministry of the Interior)

The agency in charge of keeping the peace between the various units — the Intervention Forces Coordination Unit (UCoFI) — has drawn up a list of each unit's unique skillset, which will be used to determine which group should intervene in various situations.

"The security of France simply depends on it," said Cazeneuve, after explaining that the new divisions of operations would allow each unit "to become more efficient in its areas of competence or excellence."

Right now, each of the three elite police units has a specific mandate.

Launched in 1964, the Research and Intervention Brigade (BRI) is the oldest of the three branches. It answers directly to the Judicial Police (PJ) — the criminal investigation unit of the French police. The BRI's role is to investigate crimes and monitor individuals. The unit, which has around 15 branches across the country, can also carry out raids. In January 2015, officers from the BRI entered the kosher supermarket in Paris where gunman Amedy Coulibaly was holding hostages. They also broke the Bataclan siege on November 13, 2015.

The BRI currently has 100 officers — a number that Cazeneuve has pledged to double in the coming months.

An officer from the BRI pilots a drone in Montparnasse train station. (Photo by J. Rocha/French Ministry of the Interior)

The GIGN was launched in the 70s. It was made famous by the 1976 Lyada hostage rescue mission, when its snipers were able to kill a group that had taken a school bus of French children hostage near Djibouti, in east Africa. That same year, a French television crew filmed GIGN officers training.

Over the years, the GIGN's missions have focused on the security of the French president and the security of French diplomats abroad, plane hijackings, and chemical attacks. The GIGN can also be asked to assist with arrests, particularly when suspects are considered armed and dangerous.

The youngest unit is the Research, Assistance, Intervention, and Deterrence unit, also known as the RAID. Launched in 1985 with the mission "To Serve Without Fail," the unit currently has 400 officers. Its brief is similar to that of the GIGN, but with a focus on major cities. While the RAID is often mobilized in the event of a terror attack or a major criminal attack, it is also in charge of security at major sporting and cultural events.

Cazeneuve has also promised to open new branches of the RAID, as part of the plan to bolster security in the country.

Speaking to French radio station on Wednesday, French Prime Minister Manuel Valls alsoconfirmed that the government would seek to extend the state of emergency to June and July, when France will host the UEFA Euro 2016 soccer championship and the Tour de France bicycle race.


French Special Forces Stage Mock Terror Attack So They Can Learn to Get Along | VICE News