France Terror: Al Qaeda Threatens More Attacks

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By Ian Woods, Senior Correspondent, in Dammartin-en-Goele

Al Qaeda has threatened France with more terror attacks after 17 people were killed at Charlie Hebdo's offices and at a Jewish supermarket.

The warning came as President Francois Hollande admitted the threats "weren't over" and police hunting a female suspect suggested there could be a larger terrorist cell planning further atrocities.

A sharia official from al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), Harith al Nadhari, said in a video: "It is better for you to stop your aggression against the Muslims, so perhaps you will live safely.

"If you refuse but to wage war, then wait for the glad tiding."

Five hundred extra soldiers will be deployed to the greater Paris region, and the country remains on the highest state of alert.

Prime Minister Manuel Valls said France must "never lower our guard".

He said: "We are doing our best, our utmost in order to fight against terrorism but there is always ways for terrorism to slip in.

"We have to be really strong, really tough as far as the enemies of freedom are concerned."

Thousands have turned out for rallies across the country in the wake of the attacks, and march of unity is planned in Paris on Sunday.

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Gallery: Commandos Storm Supermarket

Commandos stormed the kosher supermarket where a gunman had taken at least six people hostage. Pic: Vantage News

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Explosions rang out at the scene

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AQAP has claimed it directed brothers Said and Cherif Kouachi in the attack on Charlie Hebdo "as revenge for the honour" of the Prophet Mohammed.

The gunman killed by police at a kosher supermarket in Paris has told how he "co-ordinated" with the Charlie Hebdo killers and was a member of the Islamic State (IS) group.

Amedy Coulibaly's call to France's BFMTV station emerged after gunfire and explosions marked the violent conclusion to two hostage-takings 30 miles (48km) apart.

Just minutes separated the series of blasts at the Paris store and those that destroyed a warehouse in Dammartin-en-Goele, where the Kouachi brothers were holed up.

Police stormed both buildings almost simultaneously, killing both brothers, while at least four hostages and the jihadist gunman died at the Paris grocery store.

Authorities have praised the quick instincts of some of the survivors in the two incidents, including an employee at the printing works who provided information to police whilst hidden under a sink.

Coulibaly told BFMTV in the call from the supermarket that he had worked with the Kouachi brothers, who he described as his "officers".

Police became convinced the two attacks were linked after they discovered that Coulibaly's wife and fellow suspect Hayat Boumeddiene and the partner of one of the Kouachis had called each other more than 500 times last year.

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Gallery: Faces Of Paris Suspects And Victims

Hayat Boumeddiene, 26, is a suspect in the murder of a Paris policewoman on Thursday. She is on the run after her husband Amedy Coulibaly was killed when armed officers brought his kosher supermarket siege to a violent end

Her husband Amedy Coulibaly, 32

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They have subsequently established that Cherif Kouachi met Coulibaly in prison and the two men visited jihadist Djamel Beghal with their wives in 2010.

Coulibaly said he targeted the kosher supermarket because he wanted to defend Palestinians and target Jews.

Witnesses to the Charlie Hebdo attack said Said Kouachi, the elder of the brothers, claimed allegiance to al Qaeda during the attack and travelled to Yemen in 2011.

His brother told BFMTV in a separate recording: "I was sent, me, Cherif Kouachi, by Al Qaeda of Yemen. I went over there and it was Anwar al Awlaki who financed me."

Boumeddiene, 26, who was identified along with Coulibaly as a suspect in the killing of a police officer on Thursday, remains on the run.

Mr Valls said the heavy death toll over three days of violence showed there had been a "clear failing" of intelligence.

:: Watch Sky News Special Report: Paris Attack at 4.30pm and 8.30pm. See it on skynews.com, our mobile apps and on Sky News - channels Sky 501, Virgin Media 602, Freesat 202, Freeview 132.

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