The holder of a Syrian passport found at the scene of this weekend’s deadly Paris terror attacks arrived in Europe seeking asylum, according to officials. The Serbian Interior Minister has revealed one of the “suspected terrorists” crossed into Serbia from Macedonia on October 7 as an asylum seeker. "One of the suspected terrorists, A.A., who is of interest to the French security agencies, was registered on the Presevo border crossing on October 7 this year, where he formally sought asylum," the ministry said in a statement.
"Checks have confirmed that his details match those of the person who on October 3 was identified in Greece. There was no Interpol warrant issued against this person." November 15, 2015: An investigation is underway following a series of attacks by terrorists in the French capitol that left at least 128 dead and 353 injured. Greek authorities have confirmed the Syrian passport matched one used by a refugee who arrived on the Greek island of Leros on October 3.
Serbian media have named the passport holder as Ahmed Almuhamed, 25, and say he blew himself up at the Bataclan concert hall. The passport, along with an Egyptian passport, was found at the scene of the concert attack. A Greek newspaper has claimed Almuhamed was travelling with a second man Mohammed Almuhamed when he crossed the Serbian border. None of the passports’ authenicity have been confirmed and it is unknown if the passport holders even took part in the attacks or simply had their documents stolen.
CBS has also quoted a senior US intelligence official as saying the Syrian passport could be a fake as it did not appear to contain the correct details. The first of the attackers behind the shooting and bombing rampage was earlier identified as 29-year-old French national Ismaël Omar Mostefaï. Mostefaï's brother and father have been detained by French police after contacting authorities in their hometown of Courcouronnes of their own volition. Le Monde reports Mostefaï had minor convictions on his criminal record and was the father of a young daughter born in 2010.
Belgian police raided a neighbourhood in the capital Brussels and arrested three people in connection with the Paris attacks. The raids were conducted to "find items in the accommodation of three young people who participated in the attacks in Paris", according to local media. In addition to the passports, French officials have also found weapons and fingerprints in the vehicle suspected to be involved in the attacks. The car, believed to have been used by the attackers who targeted a number of restaurants and bars on Friday night, was found in Montreuil, eastern Paris, according to radio station Europe 1. Several Kalashnikov assault rifles were found in the car, according to French media.
French authorities have begun the painstaking process of trying to identify the remains of the militants and are still sifting through the various crime scenes. French newspaper Le Monde reports Mostefaï was identified by his fingertip, found after he detonated a suicide vest inside the Bataclan concert hall as police closed in. The official death toll now stands at 129, with more than 350 more injured and 99 of those in a critical condition. The six co-ordinated attacks across Paris included:
• Two suicide bombings outside the Stade de France, where French President Francois Hollande was watching a soccer game, a friendly match between France and Germany. At least three people were killed. • At around the same time up to four gunmen stormed the Bataclan theatre, shooting and killing at least 89 hostages who had been attending a rock concert headlined by Californian band Eagles of Death Metal.
Serbian media have named the passport holder as Ahmed Almuhamed, 25, and say he blew himself up at the Bataclan concert hall. The passport, along with an Egyptian passport, was found at the scene of the concert attack. A Greek newspaper has claimed Almuhamed was travelling with a second man Mohammed Almuhamed when he crossed the Serbian border. None of the passports’ authenicity have been confirmed and it is unknown if the passport holders even took part in the attacks or simply had their documents stolen.
CBS has also quoted a senior US intelligence official as saying the Syrian passport could be a fake as it did not appear to contain the correct details. The first of the attackers behind the shooting and bombing rampage was earlier identified as 29-year-old French national Ismaël Omar Mostefaï. Mostefaï's brother and father have been detained by French police after contacting authorities in their hometown of Courcouronnes of their own volition. Le Monde reports Mostefaï had minor convictions on his criminal record and was the father of a young daughter born in 2010.
Belgian police raided a neighbourhood in the capital Brussels and arrested three people in connection with the Paris attacks. The raids were conducted to "find items in the accommodation of three young people who participated in the attacks in Paris", according to local media. In addition to the passports, French officials have also found weapons and fingerprints in the vehicle suspected to be involved in the attacks. The car, believed to have been used by the attackers who targeted a number of restaurants and bars on Friday night, was found in Montreuil, eastern Paris, according to radio station Europe 1. Several Kalashnikov assault rifles were found in the car, according to French media.
French authorities have begun the painstaking process of trying to identify the remains of the militants and are still sifting through the various crime scenes. French newspaper Le Monde reports Mostefaï was identified by his fingertip, found after he detonated a suicide vest inside the Bataclan concert hall as police closed in. The official death toll now stands at 129, with more than 350 more injured and 99 of those in a critical condition. The six co-ordinated attacks across Paris included:
• Two suicide bombings outside the Stade de France, where French President Francois Hollande was watching a soccer game, a friendly match between France and Germany. At least three people were killed. • At around the same time up to four gunmen stormed the Bataclan theatre, shooting and killing at least 89 hostages who had been attending a rock concert headlined by Californian band Eagles of Death Metal.
