Saturday 14 November 2015

Men Linked To Paris Attacks Registered As Migrant Refugees – Police

Two men who French police are seeking to trace in connection with the
Paris attacks registered as refugees with Greek authorities earlier
this year, the Greek police confirmed on Saturday.

French authorities had asked their Greek counterparts to check a
passport and fingerprints of one man and the fingerprints of another
who were thought to have registered in Greece, which is the main entry
point into Europe for Syrian refugees.

At least one Syrian passport was found at the scene of the Stade de
France attack.

Greek minister for citizen protection, Nikos Toskas, said in a
statement that one of the men had been registered on the Greek island
of Leros in October.

"We confirm that the (Syrian) passport holder came through the Greek
island of Leros on October 3 where he was registered under EU rules,"
said a statement issued by Toskas.

French police said the passport was found "near the body of one of the
attackers" in the investigation into the main attack of Friday's
carnage, at the Bataclan concert hall, where 82 people were killed.

The authenticity of the passport was being checked, but its discovery
indicates a possible Syrian connection which has been a working
hypothesis for investigators after assailants hit six separate
locations in Paris.

A Greek police source said the second man had also registered in
Greece, with TV station Mega adding this was also on Leros in August.

European security officials had long feared that jihadists could take
advantage of the mass migration influx, mainly from war-torn Syria,
that Europe has been experiencing since the beginning of the year.

-Vanguard

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