In hotel room, Paris terrorists leave behind syringes, needles, pizza boxes
Authorities raid two rooms, apartment in suburbs used as safe houses by terrorists who killed 129 people in Friday attacks
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French police on Wednesday raided two rented hotel rooms and an apartment used as a safe house by some members of the eight-man terror squad that launched the coordinated attacks in Paris on Friday, in which 129 people were killed.
According to the French magazine Le Point, authorities found syringes, needles and empty pizza boxes inside one of the rooms rented by Salah Abdeslam on Bookings.com days before the November 13 attacks. Abdeslam is the only terrorist who took part in the attacks who managed to flee and is currently on the run. An international warrant has been issued for his capture.
Abdeslam’s brother, Ibrahim, was also one of the gunmen in the attacks at a series of restaurants and bars in Paris on Friday. He died detonating his suicide vest.
According to the report, the Abdeslam brothers rented rooms 311 and 312 in a hotel in Alfortville, a suburb to the southwest of Paris, from November 11 to 17. The rooms could accommodate up to six people, Le Point reported.
The hotel has no security cameras, but police found DNA traces among the syringes, plastic tubing, pizza leftovers and chocolate cookies found in the rooms, authorities said.
An apartment in the Paris suburb of Bobigny was also rented out by the Abdeslams, according to authorities, to be used as a safe house. Police raided the apartment as well but found it empty except for some cellphones, reportedly belonging to some of the other attackers, according to the Daily Mail.
The woman who rented the apartment to them described the brothers as “nice and proper,” to French media. She said they told her they were in Paris on business.
[AppelàTémoin] La #PJ recherche 1 individu susceptible d'être impliqué ds les attentats du 13/11/2015 #ParisAttacks pic.twitter.com/Gpr4MY1I53
— Police nationale (@PoliceNationale) November 15, 2015
A third brother, Mohamed, was briefly detained by investigators in the wake of the attacks. He has denied all connection to and knowledge of the operation.
“I was accused of committing an act of terrorism… but I have not in the slightest way been connected to the operation in Paris,” he said Monday from Brussels, according to the Independent. “I have worked for the local council for 10 years and I’ve never had a problem with anyone… my parents are completely shocked by the tragedy.”
The Times of Israel Community.