16 November 2015•Update: 16 November 2015
PARIS
More terrorist attacks are to follow in France and Europe, French Prime Minister Manuel Valls said Monday, three days after a wave of deadly violence that killed 132 in Paris.
Valls warned that new outrages are being planned in Syria by Daesh.
Speaking to France’s RTL radio, Valls said: “We know that operations were being prepared and are still being prepared, not only against France but other European countries too.”
Terrorists launched Friday’s attacks to specifically target young people attending a rock concert, eating and drinking in bars and restaurants and a football match at the Stade de France, he added.
“Once again, the terrorists have attacked France, the French people, young people. Many young people are dead,”Valls said.
“Just a few months ago... I said this generation would live with the threat of terrorism for a long time and I was criticized, as if I wanted people to be scared.”
Defending his comments, he said did not mean to scare people but to raise awareness of the threat.
“We must live, live fully - live but live with the threat of terrorism, to fight together,” Valls said.
Arrests made, manhunt continues
Valls said raids had been conducted across the country. “We are making use of the legal framework of the state of emergency to question people who are part of the radical jihadist movement... and all those who advocate hate of the Republic.”
On Sunday night, police carried out raids in Toulouse, Grenoble, Jeumont and the Paris suburb of Bobigny, under the emergency declared by President Francois Hollande.
At least one arrest, in Bobigny, is reported to be directly linked to the Paris attacks and weapons were reportedly seized in several searches.
Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve later said police conducted 168 raids on homes on Sunday evening. He said 23 were arrested while 104 were placed under house arrest and he confirmed reports that six people had been stripped of their citizenship because of links to terrorism since the beginning of the year.
A wanted notice has been issued for Salah Abdeslam, a 26-year-old French national born in Belgium who is suspected of being involved in the attacks.
According to the French authorities, one of his brothers died at the Bataclan concert hall while another was arrested in Belgium.
Police have identified seven of the suspected nine attackers.
Air strikes in Syria
On Sunday night, French warplanes hit the Daesh stronghold of Raqqa, northern Syria, as part of its “Chammal” operation against the extremists.
Hollande has identified Daesh as being responsible for the terror attacks, which Valls said were planned in Syria. The group claimed responsibility for the attacks.
The French defense ministry said 10 warplanes attacked Daesh positions with 20 bombs. The ministry said a joint operation with U.S. jets hit a command center, training camps and ammunitions depots.
Historic address
In a rare move, Hollande is set to address both houses of the French parliament - the Senate and the National Assembly - on Monday at around 4 p.m. local time (1500GMT).
The speech at Versailles will be the third time a French president has called such a meeting since 1848.
Hollande is expected to announce a series of security measures following the Paris attacks, including a bill to modify the state of emergency and extend it for another three months. Any extension of emergency powers beyond 12 days must be ratified by parliament.
The Paris killings are to be the worst on European soil since the Madrid train bombings of 2004, in which 191 died.
