Paris terrorist attacks: 128 dead, hundreds injured

by NW Spotlight

ISIS is claiming credit for the six horrific coordinated attacks across Paris yesterday, and The Hill reports “French President François Hollande blamed ISIS for the attacks”. USA Today reports that the French president said the attacks were “committed by a terrorist army, the Islamic State group, a jihadist army, against France, against the values that we defend everywhere in the world, against what we are: A free country that means something to the whole planet.”

NBC reports the French president described the attacks as an “act of war committed by a terrorist army” and vowed to be “merciless” with the France’s foes.

CNN is reporting that Paris police are putting the death toll at 128 – down from the earlier number of 153 given by the French Interior Ministry. CNN reports that the Paris Police Prefecture say 180 others were injured, in addition to those killed. The NY Times reports 127 dead and “300 other hospitalized, 80 of them in critical condition.”

An online ISIS statement said the attacks were carried out by “eight ISIS militants wearing explosive belts and armed with machine guns.”

The U.S. State Department has said “‎The U.S. government is working closely with French authorities to identify American victims. We are aware there are Americans among the injured.”

Summary of the six coordinated Paris attacks yesterday

CNN and BBC reporting described the six attacks:

• Concert at Bataclan – Paris prosecutor said “around 80” people were killed at the concert of the California band “Eagles of Death Metal” – the 4 attackers kept “methodically” shooting people in the concert hall until French security forces stormed the concert hall – 3 attackers blew themselves up and a 4th was shot dead by police. There were also police reports of attackers tossing explosives at the hostages.
• La Belle Equipe restaurant/bar – at least 19 people killed in gun attacks
• Le Carillon bar and Le Petit Cambodge restaurant – at least 12-14 people killed in gun attacks
• La Casa Nostra restaurant on rue de la Fontaine au Roi – at least 5 killed in gun attacks
• Avenue de la Republique – 4 people died
• Soccer match at Stade de France between Germany & France – attended by French President Francois Hollande and 80,000 spectators – 4 people were killed (three were attackers) outside the sports stadium after explosions were heard during the game – “one of the explosions appeared to be a suicide bombing

CNN noted “It was the deadliest terrorist attack in Europe since the Madrid train bombings of 2004, in which 191 people died. And it came less than two weeks after a Russian plane crashed in Sinai — downed, intelligence officials believe, by a terrorist bomb — killing all 224 people aboard.”

USA Today is reporting “French President Francois Hollande declared a state of emergency, mobilized the military and closed France’s borders.”

AP reported that “A Syrian passport was found on the body of one of the bombers outside the soccer stadium.” The UK Independent is reporting that “an Egyptian and a Syrian passport were discovered near the body of one of the [stadium] suicide bombers.”

The AP reports that France was targeted for being part of the “U.S.-led coalition that has been striking the Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq for the past year.” The ISIS statement said France and its supporters “will remain at the top of the list of targets of the Islamic State,” and “The stench of death will not leave their noses as long as they remain at the forefront of the Crusaders’ campaign, dare to curse our prophet, boast of a war on Islam in France, and strike Muslims in the lands of the caliphate with warplanes that were of no use to them in the streets and rotten alleys of Paris.”