Report: Police found Paris terror suspects through phone tap
Police found the suspected ringleader of last week’s terrorist attacks in Paris by tapping a phone, a new report says.
French law enforcement officers cornered Abdelhamid Abaaoud and his suspected comrades by monitoring his cousin, according to Reuters.
{mosads}The news service said Friday that police were tracking Hasna Aitboulachen, 26, as part of a drug investigation.
Aitboulachen tipped authorities off that she was with Abaaoud Tuesday evening, Reuters reported.
Police then launched a predawn raid Wednesday morning that resulted in both their deaths and the arrests of seven suspects.
Abaaoud was sought in connection with the Nov. 13 terrorist attacks in Paris that killed 130 people and wounded more than 300 others.
The Belgian national reportedly spearheaded the massacre before seeking safe haven in Saint-Denis, a suburb outside Paris.
More than 100 French police officers than took part in an operation targeting the alleged Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) member. Officers used grenades and sniper rifles during Wednesday’s firefight, where more than 5,000 rounds were fired.
French officials confirmed Abaaoud’s death in the battle early Thursday after identifying his remains.
Authorities used DNA samples and fingerprints in their analysis. Abaaoud was initially difficult to identify, they added, because his body is “riddled” with bullets.
Aitboulachen, meanwhile, reportedly died after detonating a suicide bomb when police entered the suspects’ apartment early Wednesday.
France has searched 793 premises, questioned 90 suspects, put 164 people under house arrest and seized 174 weapons while investigating last week’s carnage, Reuters reported Friday.
The European Union authorized multiple new surveillance measures in the wake of the incident.
The EU’s 28 member nations have approved sharing of air passenger data, new curbs on gun trafficking and stricter border security checks, according to the news service.
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