Paris killings: French police identifies one of 7 attackers who killed 129 people

As the French Police investigation picks up pace, one of the seven attackers who killed 129 people and wounded 350 in Paris has been identified. The attacker was named as Omar Ismail Mostefai, a 29-year-old French citizen of Algerian origin. Six people close to him were reportedly taken into custody yesterday. Police also say they have found a black Seat car they suspect was used to attack two restaurants. France is in three days of mourning.

Friday’s attacks, claimed by Islamic State (IS) militants, hit a concert hall, a major stadium, restaurants and bars in the French capital.

Meanwhile Prime Minister Manuel Valls has said France will continue with air strikes against IS in Syria, and described the group as a very well-organised enemy. President Francois Hollande has cancelled his plans to attend the G20 in Turkey and is holding meetings with various political leaders to discuss the crisis. Belgian authorities made a number of arrests there in the first publicized apprehensions after Friday night’s bloodshed, a Belgian Justice Ministry spokeswoman said Saturday.

In Belgium, raids were conducted in the Brussels suburb of Molenbeek-Saint-Jean, Justice Ministry spokeswoman Sieghild Lacoere said.

At least one American is among the 129 dead, officials said. The U.S. victim was Nohemi Gonzalez, 23, of El Monte, California, a junior studying design in Paris for a semester while enrolled at California State University, Long Beach, the school said.

Three Chileans also were killed, as were two people from Belgium, two from Mexico, two from Spain, one from Portugal, one from the United Kingdom and many French citizens. Other nations whose citizens were killed had yet to identify those victims.