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| Holder of Syrian passport found near Paris gunman crossed Greece | |||||
| 2015-11-15 | |||||
| The holder of a Syrian passport found near the body of one of the gunmen who died in Friday night's attacks in Paris passed through Greece in October, a Greek minister said, and another suspected attacker was thought to have entered Europe the same way. "The holder of the passport passed through the island of Leros on Oct. 3, 2015, where he was identified according to EU rules," Greece's deputy minister in charge of police, Nikos Toskas, said in a statement. Toskas did not know if the Syrian passport had been checked by other countries through which the holder might have passed on his way to France.
Three Greek government sources later said a second suspect was also very likely to have come into Europe through Greece, adding that an investigation was still under way.
If one or more of the attackers turn out to have come into Europe among the migrants arriving from war-torn countries, this could change the political and security debate about refugees and what to do with them.
Greece has seen about 600,000 refugees and migrants - mainly from Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq - arrive on its shores this year, mostly from nearby Turkey, hoping to reach wealthier northern Europe. The island of Leros, in the southern Aegean sea, is one of five preferred entry points where Greek authorities have been setting up so-called hotspots to register and identify arrivals. | |||||
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #1 Update from Al Ahram about the Egyptian passport: Egyptian passport found at Paris stadium belongs to critically injured victim, not suspect: Ambassador Egyptian national Waleed Abdel-Razzak was found severely injured following bombings outside Stade De France Ambassador to France Ihab Badawi said that the Egyptian passport recovered following the Paris attacks belongs to Egyptian national Waleed Abdel-Razzak, who was found after two suicide attacks and one bombing struck near Stade de France. Abdel-Razzak reportedly sustained severe injuries in the bombing. The Egyptian Ambassador also said that the media incorrectly portrayed Abdel-Razzak as a suspect in the bombings that struck Paris. "No charges have been directed at Abdel-Razzak at all," Badawi said in a phone call with Hona Al-Asema daily show on privately owned CBC channel. Confirming the Egyptian ambassador’s statements, Head of the Egyptian community in France, Salah Farhoud, announced in another television interview that the Egyptian passport found by the French police belongs to "the football fan named Walid Abdel-Razzak". Abdel-Razzak, 27, arrived in Paris two weeks ago along with his mother and cancer-stricken brother in search of medical treatment, his other brother Wael said in comments to Aswat Masriya. The attack occurred while Abdel-Razzak was queuing to buy a ticket for a soccer match at the Stade de France, one of the six sites targeted by the coordinated attacks Friday night. "We haven't seen him until now because of his critical condition," Wael said. "He is still in the operating room." Wael said his brother, who is being treated at a hospital in the northwestern suburb of Clichy, suffered from massive bleeding, a ruptured leg vein, and a broken shoulder and arm as a result of the suicide bombing. Badawi also said that Abdel-Razzak's medical condition was critical and that he has undergone several surgeries. Late Friday, seven attackers launched gun attacks at Paris cafes, detonated suicide bombs near France's national stadium and killed hostages inside the concert venue during a show by an American rock band — an attack in the heart of the City of Light. The series of attacks left at least 129 people dead and 352 injured with 80 in critical condition. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2015-11-15 12:21 |