PARIS CARNAGE
Day after Jihadi John is ‘evaporated’ by US drone, gun and bomb attacks kill at least 120 in French capital
AT least 120 people were killed last night and 60 more wounded in a series of terror attacks in Paris.
With multiple gunmen on the loose, a state of emergency was declared and residents were ordered to stay indoors. The horror started with Kalashnikovwielding fanatics attacking a restaurant in the Bastille area at around 9pm. Around the same time:
A suicide bomber struck near the national stadium where France were playing Germany at football;
A second suicide bomb went off outside a gate to the Stade de France itself. Three fans were killed;
Two gunmen held audience members hostage before killing ‘around 100 one by one’ at the Bataclan concert venue near the Place de la Republique;
Further shootings were reported at Les Halles market, the Pompidou Centre and close to the Louvre gallery.
Anti-terror police and soldiers flooded the centre of Paris as emergency services surrounded the theatre and worked to save the wounded. President
Francois Hollande said: ‘A state of emergency will be declared. The second measure will be the closure of national borders.’
He had been at the football match and was evacuated amid chaotic scenes.
Fearing for their lives, many fans took to the pitch and stayed there after the game ended.
Islamic State supporters celebrated the bombings, which came fewer than 24 hours after a drone strike killed IS executioner Jihadi John in Syria.
The hostages were taken at the Bataclan concert venue near the Place de la Republique.
It was reported that 2,000 fans were watching an American heavy metal band. One concert-goer tweeted that gunmen were killing them one by one.
At around 11.30pm, shooting and explosions were heard in the building when the security forces went in to save the hostages. Two gunmen were shot dead and the siege was lifted just before midnight, police said.
Initial casualty figures were for at least four dead and seven wounded at the restaurant Le Cambodge in the Gare du Nord area – the first incident.
Except for the stadium, the terror locations were in a relatively small area.
An Associated Press reporter in the Stade de France said he had heard two explosions loud enough to penetrate the sounds of cheering fans.
The French army was called on to the streets – with military lorries sent out on patrol in central areas.
The attack comes as France has heightened security measures ahead of a major global climate conference that starts in two weeks, amid fear of violent protests and potential terrorist attacks.
David Cameron said he was shocked by the unfolding atrocity and vowed the UK will do ‘whatever we can to help’. British special forces are on stand-by should a similar attack happen in the UK.
Raffaello Pantucci, a security expert at the Royal United Services Institute, said: ‘We are dealing with an attack which was clearly pre-planned, on multiple targets.
‘It had to have taken a long time to prepare and was not a snap reaction with what happened to Emwazi.
‘It is harder to get machine guns into the UK and setting off explosives requires training which if it was happening in the UK would be likely to show up on security radar.’
Gregory Goupil, of the police union, said the two explosions near the Stade de France were believed to be suicide attacks. The restaurant attack was a 20minute walk from the scene of the Charlie Hebdo magazine massacre in January.
Football fans gather on the pitch at the Stade de France after the shocking terrorist attacks in Paris last night. French stars Morgan Schneiderlin and Yohan Cabaye (inset) look on in horror at the scenes.
SPORT was caught up in the terror attacks on Paris last night as three people were killed and others wounded at the Stade de France. French Federation president Noel le Graet last night confirmed the full horror after an explosion at one of the gates during France’s friendly against Germany. French police confirmed two suicide attacks and one bombing near the stadium.
There were also reports which suggested that grenades had been thrown and a loud explosion could clearly be heard above the noise of the crowd in dramatic TV footage during the first half.
It showed former Manchester United defender Patrice Evra appearing to hesitate as he played the ball while other players recoiled in shock.
French president Francois Hollande, who was attending the game, was evacuated but remarkably the match was completed with France beating the world champions 2-0.
Supporters were initially unaware of the seriousness of the attack and events unfolding across the French capital.
Fans were reportedly told to avoid certain exits when leaving the stadium, prompting thousands to gather on the pitch as news filtered through of further attacks on the city.
About an hour after the final whistle, Le Graet told TVIn-fosport+: ‘Three people have been killed and several injured after a bomb explosion in front of stadium door number J. At this time, the stadium is secure. People can exit normally.
‘The president (Hollande) had to leave at a very early stage because of the shootings that took place in Paris to join the Interior Ministry.’
The prestige friendly featured several Premier League stars including Manchester United midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin and Crystal Palace’s Yohan Cabaye. The France pair appeared to be held in the tunnel with the other players immediately after the match.
Schneiderlin’s Old Trafford teammate Bastian Schweinsteiger lined up for Germany and it is believed his girlfriend Ana Ivanovic, the Serbian tennis player, was in the crowd.
Hours before the devastating attacks in Paris, a bomb scare forced the German team to evacuate their hotel in western Paris yesterday morning.
The Glasgow Warriors rugby team were due to be playing in their opening Champions Cup encounter this afternoon against Paris side Racing 92 but the game now looks in severe doubt.
Head coach Gregor Townsend, who was staying with his team in an hotel on the outskirts of the French capital, Tweeted: ‘Really sad to hear what’s happening in this beautiful city. Hope all Warriors fans are safe tonight. Use #PorteOuverte if you need shelter.’
A Warriors spokesman confirmed to Sportsmail that the team were all accounted for.
Meanwhile, London will be on high alert this weekend with thousands of tennis fans expected at the O2 Arena for the ATP Tour Finals, which feature Andy Murray and the world’s top players.