One Paris attacker reportedly identified as Ismael Omar Mostefai
French authorities identified Sunday one of the eight Paris attackers killed in a series of planned shootings and bombings in the city and have arrested some of the man’s family members.
French prosecutors identified the man as Ismael Omar Mostefai as one of the attackers killed in the attacks Friday night, according to Sky News. Paris prosecutor’s office spokeswoman Agnes Thibault-Lecuivre said some of Mostefai’s family members have been arrested but refused to further comment on how many had been detained but said searches were underway.
Sky News reported Mostefai is a French citizen, born in Courcouronnes, Essone in November 1985 and lived in Chartres, southwest of the capital. Paris prosecutor Francois Molins told Sky News Mostefai had a criminal record and was known to security services, but never spent time in jail.
“He caught police’s attention due to the violation of public power,” Molins said. “From 2004 to 2010, he was pronounced guilty eight times, but has never been in prison. In 2010, he was blacklisted by the police due to extreme behaviors, but never been classified into any illegal extremist groups.”
Eight terrorists wielding AK-47s and wearing suicide belts carried out a series of coordinated attacks at six sites around Paris Friday night, killing at least 129 people and wounding at least 352 others.
French President Francois Hollande called the attacks an “act of war” in a Saturday morning nationally televised press conference. Hollande vowed France “will be merciless toward the barbarians of Islamic State group.”