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French president says France is at war
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In a rare address to the French parliament, President Francois Hollande has announced he wants to meet with U.S. and Russian leaders to discuss destroying the Islamic State group.
“France is at war. The acts committed in Paris on Friday evening, these are acts of war, they cost at least 129 deaths, and many injured, and they constitute an aggression against our country,” Hollande said Monday.
Hollande has asked parliament to extend the state of emergency in France for three months.
U.S. President Barack Obama says all nations need to step up their efforts to combat the threat ISIS poses. He spoke Monday in Turkey at the close of the G20 Summit. “We’re working closely with our French partners as they conduct their investigations and track down suspects. France is already a strong counter-intelligence partner, and today (Monday) we’re announcing a new agreement. We’re streamlining the process by which we share intelligence, and operational military information with France. This will allow our personnel to pass along threat information, including on ISIL, to our French partners even more quickly, and more often, because we need to be doing everything we can to protect against more attacks, and protect our citizens.”
ISIS has released a chilling new video, warning that countries taking part in airstrikes in Syria will suffer the same fate as France. The video specifically threatens an attack on Washington.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stands firm on airstrike withdrawal despite the attacks.
Meanwhile, French authorities have identified a Belgian-born man, Abdelhamid Abaaoud as the mastermind behind the attacks in Paris. The fugitive in his late twenties is believed to be linked to failed attacks on a Paris-bound, high-speed train and at a Paris church.
Police are still looking for Salah Abdeslam who they believe played a part in the massacres. Police say the 26-year old rented the car that carried hostage-takers to the Paris theatre where 89 people were killed.
