International

An act of war against France by Islamic State- French President

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French President Francois Hollande says Paris attacks are an attack of War by Islamic State. Image: BFM Television screengrab for public interest reporting.

French President Francois Hollande says Paris attacks are an act of war by Islamic State. Image: BFM Television screengrab for public interest reporting.

French president François Hollande says the Paris terror attacks are an ‘act of war.’

He says the Islamic State is responsible for the carnage.

The Paris prosecutor’s office says the figure of those killed is now 129, but is expected to rise.

Over 352 people have been hospitalized; 99 of them being treated for critical injuries.

President Hollande held an emergency meeting of senior government and security officials at the Elysee Palace this morning.

He’s announced three days of national mourning.

He says France would be ‘pitiless’ in its response.

It’s been reported that the so-called Islamic State in Syria and Iraq has claimed responsibility for the attacks.

Security forces are hunting accomplices of gunmen who targeted the Bataclan concert hall and the French national football stadium.

They also sprayed the terraces of bars and restaurants with gunfire in at least six separate attacks.

The Paris Prosecutor says there were three teams of attackers and seven have been confirmed killed probably by the detonation of suicide belts.

One of the victims of the attacks has been identified by the London School of Economics as Valentin Ribet- one of their recent Masters’ graduates in business law.

Policing has been strengthened at ports and major events in the UK.

Prime Minister David Cameron is chairing a meeting of the Government’s Cobra emergency committee which could raise the official assessment of the threat from international terrorism from its current ‘severe’ level.

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe. Image: Met Police

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe. Image: Met Police

London Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe has sent his condolences to Paris:

My thoughts, and those of Met officers and staff, are with Paris and the men and women whose job is to deal with this horrific situation.

London and Paris are linked as two of the world’s strongest capital cities and we stand prepared to help in any way.

We have developed appropriate tactics to deal with a firearms attack in London, but we will, of course, urgently review our approach in the light of last night’s act of terrorism in Paris.

The scale of the attacks and the range of weaponry used by the terrorists are a serious cause for concern.

But the public can be reassured that our firearms officers are trained to deal with this kind of incident and we are constantly evolving new ways to combat the threats to public safety.

The UK Government recognised the increased threat in the summer of 2014 and raised the threat level to a point where an attack is considered to be highly likely.

Police and security agencies have been working flat out since then to protect the public. They are currently working on hundreds of active investigations and making, on average, an arrest a day.

Additional high-visibility patrols are in place to provide reassurance at key locations across the Capital. Officers are working closely with London’s communities and businesses to offer reassurance and advice following the horrific attack in Paris.

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