Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

Boumeddiene may have been in Turkey at time of French terror attacks

It is believed the woman is now in Syria.

Updated 8.15pm

ONE OF THE  key accomplices of the gunmen responsible for three days of terror attacks may have been in Turkey at the time of the attacks, it has emerged.

Hayat Boumeddiene — the partner of the attacker behind yesterday’s siege at a Jewish supermarket in Paris — was today being hunted by French police.

However it is now understood the woman may be in Syria with sources telling AFP that she was in Turkey at the time of the attacks. It is tbelieved she arrived in Turkey before the killings and then fled to Syria.

Police handout Police handout

“She entered Turkey on January 2,” a source said, adding that she was believed to have moved on to the southeastern Turkish city of Sanliurfa and then to Syria but there was “no concrete data” to prove it.

The source said Turkey did not arrest her because of a lack of intelligence from France. “We do not have the luxury to prevent everyone entering without intelligence sharing,” the source said.

Members of the French government meet this morning to decide on new measures aimed at thwarting a repeat of the attacks, which culminated in a massacre of 12 people at a satirical newspaper, and yesterday’s supermarket attack — which left four hostages dead.

World leaders have phoned President Francois Hollande to express their personal sympathies. Tomorrow, Germany’s Angela Merkel, Britain’s David Cameron as well as Italy’s Matteo Renzi, and Spain’s Mariano Rajoy have agreed to join in a unity rally in central Paris.

With explosions and gunfire, security forces yesterday ended the three days of terror, killing the two al-Qaida-linked brothers who staged a murderous rampage at the Charlie Hebdo newspaper and an accomplice — Amedy Coulibaly — who seized hostages at the kosher supermarket to try to help the brothers escape.

A body is wheeled away from the kosher grocery store. Francois Mori / AP/Press Association Images Francois Mori / AP/Press Association Images / AP/Press Association Images

Twenty people are dead, including the three gunmen.

Boumeddiene — the common law wife of Coulibaly — was said to be with him when a policewoman was killed in Paris on Thursday but this is now not believed to be the case.

Al-Qaida’s branch in Yemen said it directed the attack against the publication Charlie Hebdo to avenge the honor of the Prophet Muhammad, a frequent target of the weekly’s satire.

The brothers, Cherif and Said Kouachi —- shot dead yesterday as they came out of a warehouse shooting at police —- were not unknown to authorities: one had a terrorism-related conviction for ties to a network sending fighters to battle American forces in Iraq, and both were on the US no-fly list, according to a US official.

Hollande urged his nation to remain united and vigilant, and the city shut down a central Jewish neighbourhood following fears of more violence.

“The threats facing France are not finished,” Hollande said. “We are a free people who don’t cave to pressure.”

Associated Press, with additional reporting by Daragh Brophy and Michelle Hennessy.

As it happened: Charlie Hebdo suspects dead and four hostages killed in Jewish store

Read: Multiple people shot in suspected robbery at Kansas gun shop

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

Close
116 Comments
    Submit a report
    Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
    Thank you for the feedback
    Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.
    JournalTv
    News in 60 seconds