Iraq warned of attacks before Paris assault

An Iraqi intelligence dispatch sent to coalition countries warned of imminent assaults by the Islamic State group just one day before last week’s deadly attacks in Paris that killed 129 people.

Iraqi intelligence says the group’s leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, ordered an attack on coalition countries fighting against them in Iraq and Syria, as well as on Iran and Russia, “through bombings or assassinations or hostage taking in the coming days.”

Six senior Iraqi intelligence officials corroborate the information in the intelligence dispatch, and four of them say they warned France specifically of a potential attack.

An Associated Press reporter is shown a copy of the note Sunday.

— AP