Timeline of Paris attacks and investigation
PARIS (Reuters) - On Friday, Nov. 13, a coordinated series of shootings and suicide bombings in Paris killed 130 people and wounded 352, in an attack claimed by Islamic State. The following is a timeline of the events in local time (GMT +1). Friday, Nov. 13 Beginning at 2120, assailants carry out a wave of attacks, raking diners at bars and restaurants, detonating suicide bombs outside the sports stadium Stade de France -- where President Francois Hollande and the German foreign minister are watching a friendly soccer international -- and shooting indiscriminately at concert goers inside the Bataclan music hall. Hollande is whisked from the stadium and declares a national state of emergency - the first since World War Two. Border controls are temporarily reimposed to stop the perpetrators from escaping. Seven gunmen, all wearing suicide vests packed with explosives, die in the assaults. Saturday, Nov. 14 The Islamic State claims responsibility as revenge for French military action in Syria and Iraq. Hollande says the attack amounts to an act of war. A cross-border investigation gains pace as Belgium conducts raids in the inner Brussels neighborhood of Molenbeek, arresting seven. Sunday, Nov. 15 French jets launch their biggest raids in Syria to date, hitting the Islamic State stronghold in Raqqa. Police launch a manhunt for Salah Abdeslam, a 26-year-old Frenchman based in Belgium, whom they believe took part in the assault but slipped through their fingers. Belgian officials say two of the Paris attackers were French nationals who had been in living in Brussels. Monday, Nov. 16 French police target Islamist militants in raids across the country, while police suspect that Belgian national Abdelhamid Abaaoud ordered the Paris operation. Prosecutors identify one of the dead assailants as having been fingerprinted in Greece last month, fueling speculation that Islamic State took advantage of a recent wave of refugees fleeing Syria to slip militants into Europe. Hollande promises to increase funds for national security and says he will meet U.S. President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin to urge them to pool their resources combating Islamic State. Tuesday, Nov 17 Paris formally requests European Union assistance in its operations in Iraq and Syria. Wednesday, Nov 18 French police lay siege to an apartment in the Paris suburb of St. Denis in a pre-dawn raid, firing 5,000 rounds of munitions, according to the Paris prosecutor. Three people die, including a woman, Hasna Aitboulahcen. Police later confirm that suspected mastermind Abdelhamid Abaaoud is also among the dead. A police source says they watched Aitboulahcen take Abaaoud into the building on Tuesday evening. Eight are arrested in the raid. All are released except Jawad Bendaoud, who tells French TV he had been asked to put two people up in his apartment for three days, but had no idea they had anything to do with terrorism. Thursday, Nov. 19 The French National Assembly votes to extend the state of emergency for three months while Belgium announces a 400-million-euro ($425.60 million) security crackdown. Friday, Nov 20 The French Interior Ministry says police have searched 793 premises, held 90 people for questioning, put 164 under house arrest and recovered 174 weapons including assault rifles and other guns. Saturday, Nov 21 Brussels goes on maximum security alert, shutting the metro and warning people to avoid crowds because of a "serious and imminent" threat of coordinated, multiple attacks by militants. Turkey arrests a Belgian man of Moroccan origin and two Syrian accomplices suspected of involvement in the attacks. Sunday, Nov 22 The maximum alert in Brussels is extended into Monday. French investigators extend into a fifth day the detention of Bendaoud as the investigation continues. ($1 = 0.9398 euros) (Reporting by Andrew Chung; editing by Adrian Croft)
