Paris attacks ringleader dead
The suspected ringleader of the Paris attacks, Abdelhamid Abaaoud, has been identified as one of those killed in a raid in Saint Denis, the Paris prosecutor says.
His body was found riddled with bullets and shrapnel in an apartment in the northern Paris suburb on Wednesday.
The Belgian national, 27, was identified from his fingerprints.
Friday’s gun and suicide bomb attacks in the French capital left 129 people dead and hundreds injured.
Eight people were arrested and at least two killed in the raid on the property in Saint Denis.
Heavily armed police stormed the building after a tip-off that Abaaoud was in Paris.
At least two bodies were removed from the apartment in Saint Denis on Wednesday
A woman at the flat – reported in French media to be Abaaoud’s cousin – died during the raid after activating a suicide vest.
The prosecutor’s office said it is not yet clear whether Abaaoud blew himself up or not.
Investigators are still looking for Salah Abdeslam, who is believed to have travelled to Belgium after the attacks on Friday night.
The BBC’s Hugh Schofield in Paris says the identification of Abaaoud raises serious questions for security services.
He was high on French and Belgian wanted lists and yet managed to travel from Syria to the heart of Paris without ever leaving a trace.
More on the Paris attacks
A doctor’s story An emergency department medic describes his Friday night shift
Rethinking strategy Time for West to review its priorities in Syria
How vulnerable is Europe? Putting the dangers in perspective
What happened in Paris? How events unfolded on Friday evening in the French capital
Hollande upstages opposition French president’s tougher line on counter-terrorism
Who were the victims? Details of some of the 129 people killed
The fight against Islamic State Can a modern, open Western capital ever be totally secure?
Most wanted: Alleged mastermind Profile of key suspect Abdelhamid Abaaoud
Special report: In-depth coverage of the attacks and their aftermath
Earlier on Thursday, Belgian police raided properties linked to suspected attackers Bilal Hadfi and Salah Abdeslam.
Several raids took place in and around Brussels, and one person has been detained, Belgian prosecutors said.
French PM Manuel Valls has warned that France could face chemical or biological attack from terror groups, as deputies voted to extend the state of emergency after the attacks.
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