French Media Name Suspected Paris Attack Mastermind

  16 November 2015    Read: 835
French Media Name Suspected Paris Attack Mastermind
French media outlets named on Monday an alleged mastermind of the coordinated Paris attacks across seven locations that killed 132 and injured 305, 99 critically.
Belgium-born Abdelhami Abaaoud, 27, is said to have overseen the deadly suicide bombings and gun attacks at a football stadium, a concert hall and several restaurants in Paris late Friday, according to RTL. The radio station does not provide sources and the information has not been officially confirmed.

The publication names Abaaoud, a native of the Brussels neighborhood of Molenbek, as one of the Islamic State (ISIL) jihadist group militants. It is asserted that the suspect maintained regular contact with one of the Paris massacre assailants who had also lived in Brussels.

According to unnamed sources involved in the investigation, Abaaoud’s mobile phone was registered in Greece. Greek officials said earlier a Syrian passport belonging to a refugee had been found near the body of one of the Paris attackers.

US and French police sources told news organizations that the name and picture from the recovered Syrian passport did not match, and its numbers appeared to be incorrect.

A search warrant is out for an eighth terrorist, one of three brothers thought to have rented a vehicle used to transport the gun-wielding suicide bombers across central Paris.

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