Belgium's federal prosecutor's office says authorities have so far made three arrests linked to the deadly attacks in Paris.

Meanwhile France is vowing to destroy those behind the rampage that killed 129 people, with the French prime minister saying the country was at way.

Belgian spokesman Jean-Pascal Thoreau says the arrests at the Belgian border came after a car with Belgian license plates was seen close to the Bataclan theater in Paris on Friday night, one of the places where victims were killed.

The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for attacks in Paris that killed over 129 people. Saturday afternoon the White House said there was no information that contradicts the French Assessment that ISIS carried out the attacks.

The claim was made in a statement in Arabic and French released online Saturday and circulated by supporters of the group. It was not immediately possible to confirm the authenticity of the statement, but it bore the group's logo and resembled previous statements issued by the group.
 
French President Francois Hollande had earlier blamed the attacks on the IS group, calling it "an act of war'' and vowing to strike back.

The Friday night attacks include shootings at Paris cafes, suicide bombings near France's national stadium and a hostage-taking slaughter inside a concert hall. Officials say three teams of terrorists seem to have coordinated attacks across the city.

A Paris prosecutor said there were 352 injured; 99 are in critical condition.

The the U.S. embassy in Paris is working to account for every American citizen in the city.

The State Department says U.S. citizens can contact 1-888-407-4747 (from the U.S.) or 202-501-4444 (from other countries) for assistance.

Speaking after an emergency security meeting to plan his government's response, Hollande declared three days of national mourning and raised the nation's security to its highest level.

Hollande blamed the carnage on what he called "a terrorist army, the Islamic State group, a jihadist army, against France, against the values that we defend everywhere in the world, against what we are: a free country that means something to the whole planet."

As he spoke, French anti-terror police worked to identify potential accomplices to the attackers known to have committed the attacks.

The perpetrators, at least in public, remained a mystery: their nationalities, their motives, even their exact number. Authorities said eight died, seven in suicide bombings, a new terror tactic in France. Police said they shot and killed the other assailant.


Rescue workers and medics work by victims in a Paris restaurant, Friday, Nov. 13, 2015. Police officials in France on Friday reported a shootout in a Paris restaurant and an explosion in a bar near a Paris stadium. It was unclear if the events were linked.  (Thibault Camus, Associated Press)

World leaders united in sympathy and indignation, New York police increased security measures, and people worldwide reached out to friends and loved ones in France.

Memorials grew around the world Saturday, from Bangkok in Thailand to New York City. In Lake Buena Vista, at Epcot's France pavilion, guests brought flowers, a French flag and other items to lay at the pavilion and give to the castmembers, who are from the country.  Disney also lit the Eiffel Tower display at the pavilion in French colors. A French castmember posted her gratitude on Instagram:

The castmember's statement read:

"Here in Orlando, in this magical place of Disney... Where all the countries live together, where people from all over the world are working together. Here, where everybody supports each other. Here, where our "wars" is only a beer game... let me be utopian, let me believe a better world is possible...."

Concerns for tourists in France

The violence raised questions about security for the millions of tourists who come to Paris and for world events routinely hosted in the normally luminous capital, where troops were deployed to support police trying to restore order.

One of Europe's most heavily visited tourist attractions, the Disneyland theme park east of the capital, announced it would not open for business Saturday, a rarity.

Prosecutor's office spokeswoman Agnes Thibault-Lecuivre said authorities couldn't rule out the possibility that other militants involved in the attack remained at large.


Spectators invade the pitch of the Stade de France stadium after the international friendly soccer match between France and Germany in Saint Denis, outside Paris, Friday, Nov. 13, 2015.  (Christophe Ena, Associated Press)

Hollande said France — which is already bombing IS targets in Syria and Iraq as part of the U.S.-led coalition, and has troops fighting militants in Africa — "will be merciless toward the barbarians of Islamic State group."

"It's an act of war that was prepared, organized, planned from abroad, with internal help," he said.

Reflecting fears in other European capitals of the risk of coordinated or copycat attacks, the British government scheduled its own emergency COBRA intelligence committee overseen by Prime Minister David Cameron. Italy said it, too, was raising security levels on borders and major public places.

Friday night's militants launched at least six gun and bomb attacks in rapid succession on apparently indiscriminate civilian targets.

Three suicide bombs targeted spots around the national Stade de France stadium, north of the capital, where Hollande was watching an exhibition soccer match between France and the defending World Cup champions Germany. Fans inside the stadium recoiled at the sound of explosions, but the match continued amid rising spectator fears.

Around the same time, fusillades of bullets shattered the clinking of wine glasses in a trendy Paris neighborhood as gunmen targeted a string of cafes, which were crowded on an unusually balmy November night. At least 37 people were killed, according to Paris Prosecutor Francois Molins.

The attackers next stormed a concert hall, the Bataclan, which was hosting the American rock band Eagles of Death Metal. They opened fire on the panicked audience and took members hostage. As police closed in, three detonated explosive belts, killing themselves, according to Paris police chief Michel Cadot.

Another attacker detonated a suicide bomb on Boulevard Voltaire, near the music hall, the prosecutor's office said.

The Bataclan was the scene of the worst carnage.

Video shot from an apartment balcony and posted on the Le Monde website Saturday captured some of that horror as dozens of people fled from gunfire outside the Bataclan down a passageway to a side street.

At least one person lies writhing on the ground as scores more stream past, some of them bloodied or limping. The camera pans down the street to reveal more fleeing people dragging two bodies along the ground. A woman can be seen hanging by her hands from an upper-floor balcony railing in an apparent desperate bid to stay out of the line of fire.

Sylvain, a tall, sturdy 38-year-old concert-goer, collapsed in tears as he recounted the attack, the chaos and his escape during a lull in gunfire.

"I was watching the concert in the pit, in the midst of the mass of the audience. First I heard explosions, and I thought it was firecrackers.

"Very soon I smelled powder, and I understood what was happening. There were shots everywhere, in waves. I lay down on the floor. I saw at least two shooters, but I heard others talk. They cried, 'It's Hollande's fault.' I heard one of the shooters shout, 'Allahu Akbar,'" Sylvain told The Associated Press. He spoke on condition that his full name not be used out of concern for his safety.

He was among dozens of survivors offered counseling and blankets in a municipal building set up as a crisis center.

Investigating police officers work outside the Stade de France stadium after an international friendly soccer match France against Germany, in Saint Denis, outside Paris, Friday Nov. 13, 2015. (Michel Euler, Associated Press)

Jihadis on Twitter immediately praised the attackers and criticized France's military operations against Islamic State extremists.

Hollande declared a state of emergency and announced renewed border checks along frontiers that are normally open under Europe's free-travel zone.

In a televised Friday night address he appealed to citizens to maintain "a determined France, a united France, a France that joins together and a France that will not allow itself to be staggered, even if today there is infinite emotion faced with this disaster, this tragedy, which is an abomination, because it is barbarism."

President Barack Obama, speaking to reporters in Washington, decried an "attack on all humanity," calling the Paris violence an "outrageous attempt to terrorize innocent civilians."

A U.S. official briefed by the Justice Department says intelligence officials were not aware of any threats before Friday's attacks.

The Disneyland Paris theme park announced it would not open for business Saturday but billed the move as a matter of sympathy, not security.

Disney said in a statement it would remain closed "in light of the recent tragic events in France and in support of our community and the victims of these horrendous attacks." Some 14.2 million people visited the attraction last year.

Paris is expected to host 80 heads of state, including Obama, for a climate summit in two weeks. In June, France is scheduled to host the European soccer championship — with the Stade de France a major venue.

And Paris-based UNESCO is expecting world leaders Monday for a forum about overcoming extremism. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani canceled a trip because of Friday's attacks. Hollande canceled a planned trip to this weekend's G-20 summit in Turkey.

France has been on edge since January, when Islamic extremists attacked the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo, which had run cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad, and a kosher grocery. Twenty people died in those attacks, including three shooters.

On Friday night they targeted young people enjoying a rock concert and ordinary city residents celebrating the end of the work week and cheering their nation's soccer squad as it took on the defending World Cup champions.

France has seen several smaller-scale attacks or attempts this year, including on a high-speed train in August when American travelers overpowered a heavily armed man.

French authorities are particularly concerned about the threat from hundreds of French Islamic radicals who have traveled to Syria and returned home with skills to mount attacks.

"The big question on everyone's mind is: Were these attackers — if they turn out to be connected to one of the groups in Syria — were they homegrown terrorists or were they returning fighters?" said Brian Michael Jenkins, a terrorism expert and senior adviser to the president of the Washington-based RAND Corporation. "That will be a huge question."

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Associated Press reporters Lori Hinnant, Greg Keller, Sylvie Corbet, Jerome Pugmire, Philippe Sotto, Samuel Petrequin and John Leicester in Paris; Jamey Keaten in Geneva, John-Thor Dahlburg in Brussels, and Shawn Pogatchnik in Dublin contributed to this report.

Latest Updates

Associated Press updates from Paris (local Paris time):

2:31 a.m.

The Empire State Building is dark in sympathy for the people of Paris after more than 120 people were killed in Friday's series of shootings and explosions.

Saturday is the second consecutive night the 102-story New York landmark is not lit up.

The 408-foot (125-meter)spire atop One World Trade Center is lit again Saturday night in the colors of the French flag. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo says the spire will remain lit blue, white and red on Sunday.

New York City's Mayor Bill de Blasio says an arch in Manhattan's Washington Square Park was also illuminated with the French colors on Saturday.

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2:05 a.m.

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull says the only Australian casualty has undergone surgery and is expected to make a full recovery.

Only one Australian was injured in the attacks. Emma Parkinson, 19, of Hobart, was shot in the hip at the Bataclan concert hall.

Turnbull said he spoke to Parkinson after she had undergone surgery in a Paris hospital. Australian Ambassador to France Stephen Brady was a frequent visitor to her bedside.

"She's a brave girl and, in all the circumstances, in good spirits," Turnbull said.

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1:33 p.m.

Chile's Foreign Ministry says three Chilean citizens were killed in the terrorist attacks that struck Paris.

A ministry statement identifies one of the dead as 33-year-old Luis Felipe Zschoche Valle, who it says had lived in Paris for eight years with his French wife. It says he was killed at the Bataclan concert hall.

The ministry says the other victims were 61-year-old Chilean exile Patricia San Martin Nunez and her 35-year-old daughter, Elsa Veronique Delplace San Martin. The statement says the daughter was born in France.

The women are described as the niece and grandniece of Chile's ambassador to Mexico, Ricardo Nunez. Nunez tells Chilean media that his relatives also died at the Bataclan hall. He says two people with them at the concert escaped alive.

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12:42 p.m.

A Southern California college student killed in the Paris terror attacks was in a restaurant with another Long Beach State student when she was fatally shot.

School officials said Saturday the friend reported that Nohemi Gonzalez was carried out of the restaurant on a stretcher.

A spokesman described Gonzalez as buoyant and extremely energetic.

Gonzalez was a senior studying design at California State University, Long Beach.

The 23-year-old was on a university exchange program at Strate College of Design in France.

The university was notified of her death by French school officials and confirmed the death with her parents.

The school president issued a statement saying she was saddened by the death of Gonzalez.

Gonzales lived in the Los Angeles suburb of El Monte.

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12:11 p.m.

A crowd have gathered outside the White House for a vigil near a statue of the Marquis de Lafayette, the French general for whom the park in front of the executive mansion is named.

The French ambassador to the United States, Gérard Araud, thanked the crowd for coming Saturday evening and led a minute of silence for the victims of the attack.

Antoine Verdeaux, 20, wore the red, white, and blue flag around his shoulders.

"I'm devastated by what happened. It's horrible. It's kind of sick to think that in today's world people can do this to one another," said the college student who was born in Paris and travels there nearly every year.

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11:50 p.m.

The spokeswoman for the Paris prosecutor's office says members of one of the attackers' family — a Frenchman born in the Paris suburbs — have been detained.

Agnes Thibault-Lecuivre declined to say specify who was detained but said there were searches underway.

11:40 p.m.

Mexico's government says two of its citizens were among the people killed in Paris.

The Foreign Ministry has not said where the women were killed in Friday night's attacks across the French capital. It also hasn't released the women's identities, but says one had dual Mexican-U.S. citizenship and the other held Mexican-Spanish citizenship.

The ministry previously reported that a Mexican man was wounded at one of the Paris restaurants attacked. It says that man was operated on Saturday morning "satisfactorily." It says he holds dual Mexican-Austrian citizenship.

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11 p.m.

A crowd of up to 250 people have gathered for an impromptu candlelight vigil at the Place de La Republique in Paris, the site of a massive demonstration in the wake of the Charlie Hebdo killings earlier this year.

Adrien Chambel, a 27-year-old law student, says the crowd is much sparser than it was in January. He says "you feel that people are petrified."

His father, Bernard, 66, said there is a difference between the attacks Friday night that killed 129 people and the January assault on the Charlie Hebdo newspaper and a Kosher supermarket that killed 17 victims.

He says in January "it was an attack on Jews, it was an attack on free expression."

This, he said, "was an attack on a way of life — they shot without discrimination."

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10:25 p.m.

French Prime Minister Manuel Valls is vowing to "destroy" those behind the rampage across Paris that killed at least 129 people and wounded hundreds of others.

Speaking late Saturday on French television TF1, Valls declared "we are at war, and because we are at war we are taking exceptional measures."

France has put thousands of soldiers onto the streets to reinforce police and other security personal in the wake of the country's worst-ever terror attack.

Valls says "we will strike this enemy to destroy him. In France and in Europe, we'll chase the authors of this act, and also in Syria and Iraq. We will win this war."

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10:10 p.m.

Outside the gate to the French Embassy in Washington, people left dozens of bouquets, signs of support and even a few bottles of wine.

"We love France," read one sign on Saturday. "Pray for France," read another. Two Secret Service vehicles were parked outside as people came by to drop off more flowers and wine at the makeshift memorial.

Catherine Farvacque-Vitkovic, a Frenchwoman who has lived in the United States for 30 years, brought a bouquet of flowers in red, white and blue.

She says "we need to stand up for what we believe, and I hope that people will continue to assemble, not to fear."

Darya Vakulenko, a 26-year-old from Ukraine, came by with flowers to show "solidarity."

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10 p.m.

A terrorism-themed movie called "Made in France" that was to hit screens in France on Nov. 18 has been postponed.

The bold posters — which feature a giant Kalashnikov on top of the Eiffel Tower — feature prominently in the Paris Metro and have caused some passers-by discomfort. The famed monument has closed in the wake of Friday's coordinated attacks in which some used automatic guns to kill at least 129 people.

Producers did not say if the film has been postponed indefinitely. The movie, directed by Nicolas Boukhrief, tells the story of a journalist who infiltrates a jihadi cell in the Paris suburbs that plans attacks on the French capital.

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9:40 p.m.

Albania says its interior minister has been threatened by those allegedly supporting the Islamic State group.

Minister Saimir Tahiri received an email message Saturday in Albanian saying "Now it's your turn! The sacred war against those included in the war against the Islamic State has started!"

His office says Albania's anti-terror department has launched a probe into the matter. The government has increased security, especially near Western embassies and international institutions.

Albania's 3.2 million people are predominantly Muslims who live in peaceful coexistence with Christian communities.

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9:25 p.m.

A minute of silence for the victims of the Paris attacks was held ahead of the European Championship qualifier between Sweden and Denmark.

Both teams stood with their heads bowed Saturday as 50,000 fans inside Friends Arena in Solna, Sweden, turned silent. The walls of the stadium were lit up in the colors of the French flag: blue, white and red.

Organizers said security was stepped up at the stadium due to the bloodshed in Paris, which started with explosions outside the Stade de France during a friendly match between France and Germany.

In Rome, officials turned off the lights at the Colosseum and the Trevi Fountain for five minutes in solidarity with the people of Paris.

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9:10 p.m.

Muslim leaders in the United States are condemning the attacks In Paris and offering condolences and prayers for the people of France.

Nihad Awad, the executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations said "we are revolted by this heinous and despicable attack on civilian populations."

He says the Islamic State group, which claimed responsibility for the attacks that killed at least 129, "does not represent Muslims."

Oussama Jammal of the U.S. Council of Muslim Organizations called on the American Muslim community to hold candlelight vigils to remember the victims.

Imam Johari Abdul-Malik of the Muslim Alliance in North America called on Muslims to "redouble our efforts in vigilance and confronting extremism."

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8:40 p.m.

An employee at Greece's Ministry of Citizen Protection says Greek police have sent the fingerprints of the owner of the Syrian passport found at one of Friday's attacks in Paris to French police.

Police are trying to see if they match those of the assailant whose body was found nearby — or any other person known to police. The agency said the person who owned the passport came into the European Union through the Greek island of Leros on Oct. 3.

The same source, who spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity because she was not authorized to comment on an investigation, discounted reports in Greek media that a second passport was found at the scene.

At least 129 people were killed and 352 injured in the attacks Friday night in Paris. The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility

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8:25 p.m.

Asylum-seekers fleeing war and poverty in Syria and other war-ravaged countries are condemning the Paris attacks, fearing it may become even more difficult now to start new lives in Western Europe.

The migrants streaming through Slovenia toward Austria, Germany and other wealthy EU nations said Saturday the attacks in Paris that killed at least 129 people resemble the wars they are running away from.

Zebar Akram, 29, from Iraq, says "this is the same act of terrorism like they act in Syria or Iraq." Abdul Selam, 31, from Syria fears that refugees now "will be considered as probable attackers."

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8:10 p.m.

An American woman was undergoing surgery late Saturday at a Paris hospital after being wounded in a terror attack in France.

Helen Jane Wilson was at the Bataclan concert hall to hear the Eagles of Death Metal band perform Friday night when gunmen burst into the venue, killing 89 people. Wilson told The Associated Press she was shot in the leg and was heading into surgery at L'hopital Saint-Antoine.

Wilson said she lived in New Orleans before moving to Paris, where she runs Rock en Bol, a catering company. According to her Facebook page, Wilson is originally from Los Angeles.

At least 129 people were killed and 352 injured in the attacks Friday night in Paris. The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility.

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7:40 p.m.

Belgium's federal prosecutor's office says authorities have so far made three arrests linked to the deadly attacks in Paris.

Spokesman Jean-Pascal Thoreau says the arrests at the Belgian border came after a car with Belgian license plates was seen close to the Bataclan theater in Paris on Friday night, one of the places where victims were killed.

He said it was a rental vehicle and police organized several raids in the St. Jans Molenbeek neighborhood in Brussels on Saturday.

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7:35 p.m.

Paris prosecutor Francois Molins says one of the hostage takers involved in a deadly siege at the Bataclan concert hall in Paris was born in France. He also says a French national was among three people linked to the Paris attacks arrested Saturday morning at the Belgian border.

Molins said a different suicide attacker identified by a Syrian passport found near his body at the national stadium was not known to French intelligence services.

He said all seven suicide attackers wore identical explosives vests.

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7:25 p.m.

Paris prosecutor Francois Molins says three teams of attackers seem to have coordinated attacks in Paris that left 129 people dead another 352 injured.

Molins says the attackers in the Bataclan concert hall, where 89 people died, metioned Syria and Iraq during the attacks.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the gun and bomb rampage that also targeted restaurants and a soccer stadium.

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7:15 p.m.

Paris prosecutor Francois Molins says 129 people were killed in the Paris terror attacks and 352 people were injured.

He says 99 of the injured are in critical condition.

The prosecutor said 89 people were killed in the attack at the Bataclan concert hall.

The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for the attacks Friday night around Paris.

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7:05 p.m.

The Eiffel Tower will remain dark Saturday night in a display of mourning following the terror attacks that left 127 dead and wounded scores more.

The 116-year-old iconic monument normally is lit by scintillating lights every hour on the hour during the evening.

In contrast, Berlin's iconic Brandenburg Gate has been lit up in the colors of the French flag — blue, white and red — in tribute to the Paris victims. Hundreds of people gathered Saturday on Paris Square, in front of the gate, in a show of solidarity with France.

Flowers and candles have also been placed in front of the nearby French embassy in the German capital.

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6:55 p.m.

England's Sussex Police force says it is questioning a 41-year-old man from France after "what appears to be a firearm" was discovered at Gatwick Airport.

The airport's north terminal was evacuated and explosives experts called in Saturday morning after what police called suspicious actions by a man who had discarded an item.

Police said the man had been arrested on suspicion of firearms offenses. The airport said the terminal was searched before reopening just before 4 p.m. Gatwick is Britain's second busiest airport.

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6:50 p.m.

Interpol says it has set up a "crisis response task force" at its headquarters in southeastern France following deadly attacks in Paris.

Interpol Secretary-General Juergen Stock has condemned the "cold-blooded, cowardly attacks" that left 127 people dead Friday night.

The Lyon, France-based international police agency noted its fingerprint, name and DNA databases and border security capabilities to help track foreign terrorist

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6:45 p.m.

Germany's top security official says the country has ramped up border controls with France after the Paris terror attacks.

Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere told reporters in Berlin that the move follows a request from France to all of its neighbors to increase controls along their common borders.

De Maiziere said the checks would take place on road, rail and plane connections with France.

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6:35 p.m.

Germany's vice-chancellor has warned against a crackdown on migrants coming to Europe because of the deadly Paris terror attacks.

Sigmar Gabriel says those seeking refuge in Europe shouldn't be made to suffer just because "they come from those regions where terror is being exported to us and to the world."

Chancellor Angela Merkel's deputy's told reporters in Berlin on Saturday that "we stand to protect them too, and to ensure that they don't have to suffer because murderers in France are threatening people and Europe in the name of a religion."

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6:20 p.m.

In light of the Paris terror attacks, Poland cannot go ahead with EU decisions on immigration and accept refugees without guarantees of security.

Konrad Szymanski, Poland's prospective minister for European affairs, told reporters that Poland "this is a key condition that today was put under a giant question mark in all of Europe."

Szymanski is in Poland's new conservative government that is to be sworn in Monday. The outgoing government agreed to accept 7,000 refugees from Syria and Eritrea over the next two years.

In comments online, Szymanski said Poland must have "full control" of its borders and migration policy.

One of the Paris attackers reportedly came into the EU through Greece last month.

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6:05 p.m.

The leaders of the European Union nations are calling for a minute of silence across the 28-nation bloc on Monday in memory of the victims of the Paris terror attacks.

In Saturday's joint statement, the leaders say Europeans will always remember Friday, Nov. 13, "as a European day of mourning" and invited the EU's 510 million people to mark their solidarity at noon Monday.

"This shameful act of terrorism will only achieve the opposite of its purpose, which was to divide, frighten, and sow hatred," they said. "Good is stronger than evil. Everything that can be done at European level to make France safe will be done."

They called Friday's events "an attack against us all." At least 127 people were killed and scores injured in the attacks Friday night. The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility.

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6 p.m.

Belgium's justice minister says authorities have made several arrests linked to the deadly attacks in Paris.

Minister Koen Geens told the VRT network that the arrests came after a car with Belgian license plates was seen close to the Bataclan theater in Paris on Friday night, one of the places where victims were killed.

He said it was a rental vehicle and police organized several raids in the St. Jans Molenbeek neighborhood in Brussels on Saturday.

Geens said "there were arrests relating to the search of the vehicle and person who rented it." He said the number of arrests was "more than one."

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5:35 p.m.

Belgian media are reporting police searches and at least one arrest connected to the Paris attacks in the St. Jans Molenbeek neighborhood in Brussels.

RTBF broadcasting said its reporters observed heavily armed police teams in the western district of Belgium's capital on Saturday afternoon and that two or three searches had taken place. It said a man was arrested.

No official confirmation or additional information was immediately available. Molenbeek is home to a large community of immigrants from Morocco and Turkey.

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5:30 p.m.

London's Police chief says authorities will review their approach to a firearms attack following the tragic attacks in France and will put high-visibility patrols at key locations across the capital.

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Bernard Hogan-Howe says the "scale of the attacks and the range of weaponry used by the terrorists are a serious cause for concern."

However, Britain has refrained from raising its security level from "severe," where it has stood since summer 2014, which means an attack is considered highly likely.

Hogan-Howe said in a statement Saturday that police are currently working on hundreds of active investigations and making an arrest a day on average.

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5:20 p.m.

A Greek official says the owner of a Syrian passport found at the scene of one of the Paris attacks crossed into the European Union through the Greek island of Leros in October.

Citizen Protection Minister Nikos Toskas, in charge of police forces, has released the following statement: "On the case of the Syrian passport found at the scene of the terrorist attack.

"We announce that the passport holder had passed from Leros on Oct. 3., where he was identified based on EU rules... We do not know if the passport was checked by other countries through which the holder likely passed.

"We will continue the painstaking and persistent effort to ensure the security of our country and Europe under difficult circumstances, insisting on complete identification of those arriving."

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5:10 p.m.

The Foo Fighters are canceling the rest of their European tour following the deadly attacks in Paris.

The band said in a statement Saturday that "it is with profound sadness and heartfelt concern for everyone in Paris that we have been forced to announce the cancellation of the rest of our tour."

Foo Fighters, led by Dave Grohl, were to play at the Accor Hotels Arena in Paris on Monday and in Casalecchio Di Reno, Italy, on Friday; other canceled shows include stops in Turin, Italy; Lyon, France; and Barcelona, Spain.

"In light of this senseless violence, the closing of borders, and international mourning, we can't continue right now. There is no other way to say it," the statement read. "This is crazy and it sucks. Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone who was hurt or who lost a loved one."

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5:05 p.m.

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius says crucial U.N. conference on fighting climate change will be held in Paris as planned, from Nov. 30 to Dec. 11.

Fabius says the conference "will be held with enhanced security measures, but this is an absolutely indispensable action against climate change." He spoke as foreign ministers met in Vienna to discuss the war in Syria.

So far 127 world leaders have accepted the invitation to come to Paris for the climate conference.

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5 p.m.

An Air France flight from Amsterdam to Paris has been evacuated at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport after authorities received a threatening tweet.

Dennis Muller, a Dutch military police spokesman, says Air France flight 1741 was due to take off at 14:45 CET but was evacuated shortly before that.

An Air France spokeswoman said the flight had 85 passengers and six crew members onboard. Police are searching the Airbus A320 now.

Authorities on are alert after at least 127 people died Friday night in gun and bomb attacks in Paris. The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility.

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4:50 p.m.

Witness Ludovic Mintchop, 20, says he was walking down Boulevard Richard Lenoire in Paris on Friday night when he saw a black, German-made sedan barrel down the street and screech to a halt about 50 meters (yards) in front of him.

He says two men emerged from the car with Kalashnikovs before opening fire, striking two people cycling on rental bikes. When they collapsed, Mintchov told reporters he made a run for it.

He said the shooting occurred around 10:15-10:20 p.m.

At least 127 people died Friday night in shootings at Paris cafes, suicide bombings near France's stadium and a massacre inside a concert hall. The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility.

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4:40 p.m.

Social media is awash with public buildings lit up in the French colors of red, white as people globally expressed their solidarity with the French after deadly terror attacks in Paris.

Users of Twitter, Facebook and Instagram shared vacation photos, teardrops and a peace symbol with the Eiffel Tower as its center as they shared their grief over the tragedy.

People posted the poignant video of the Eiffel Tower — the beacon of the city of light — going to black in memory of the dead. They also offered montages of the hues of the Tricolor, the French flag, on to the Sydney Opera House in Australia, the Christ the Redeemer statue in Brazil and One World Trade Center in New York.

The images and sentiment, shared under hashtags #prayforparis or #parisattacks, mirrored the outpouring of emotion that followed the deadly Charlie Hebdo attacks in Paris in January.

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4:35 p.m.

London's Tower Bridge will be illuminated in the colors of France's flag as the city joins other capitals in lighting landmarks to show solidarity with the 127 victims of the terror attacks in Paris.

A fireworks display set for Saturday night was also cancelled as a mark of respect for the French. The City of London Corporation, which is organizing the display, says it is "time for a show of solidarity with the victims of an atrocious terrorist attack and not a time for celebrations."

Flags at several prominent structures in London, including the Prime Minister's Office at 10 Downing Street, flew flags at half-staff. Flowers and candles were also placed at the French Embassy.

Sydney, New York and Rio de Janeiro have also illuminated buildings in the red, white and blue of the Tricolor.

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4:25 p.m.

Bryan Clement, a 19-year-old student in Nancy, was one of dozens of people posting have-you-seen-me? photos of friends and family missing since the Paris attacks.

Clement said the posts were similar to the posters, flyers and photos plastered around New York in the wake of Sept. 11, 2001 but "now it's digital." He says "now everyone can help with the search."

At least 127 people died Friday night in shootings at Paris cafes, suicide bombings near France's stadium and a massacre inside a concert hall. The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility.

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4:15 p.m.

Leading French movie theater chains are shutting their Paris cinemas after attacks on a concert hall, stadium and cafes that left at least 127 people dead.

The UGC and Gaumont Pathe chains said in tweets that they would close their Paris movie theaters for a day Saturday after the bloodshed Friday night in the French capital.

Several entertainment and cultural sites in Paris have also closed their doors Saturday, including Disneyland Paris, the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre Museum.

___

4:10 p.m.

In addition to rallying the nation after the shocking terror attack on Paris, French President Francois Hollande has been on the phone talking about fighting terror with other world leaders.

Those include the Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is hosting the G-20 summit on Sunday. Erdogan assured the French president that the Paris attacks that killed 127 people Friday night will be a "top priority" on the G-20 agenda.

Hollande also spoke on the phone with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, King of Morocco Mohammed VI, Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel, European Council President Donald Tusk, U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron and Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi.

___

3:50 p.m.

Two French police officials say that authorities have identified one of the suicide bombers who targeted Paris in deadly attacks as a young Frenchman flagged in the past for links with an Islamic extremist activity.

The officials said the man was among attackers who blew himself up after a rampage and hostage-taking in a Paris concert hall.

Earlier, police officials said at least one suicide bombers who targeted another site, France's national stadium, was found to have a Syrian passport.

None of the attackers has been publicly identified.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to be publicly named.

___

3:35 p.m.

A State Department spokesman confirms that Americans are among the injured in the Paris terror attacks.

The department's deputy spokesman, Mark Toner, says Saturday that "the U.S. Embassy in Paris is working around the clock to assist American citizens affected by this tragedy." He would not comment if any were killed.

The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for the attacks, considered the deadliest on France since World War II. At least 127 people died Friday night in shootings at cafes, suicide bombings near France's stadium and a massacre inside a concert hall.

French President Francois Holland has declared three days of mourning and raised the nation's security to the highest level.

___

3:25 p.m.

Syrian President Bashar Assad says the policies of some Western countries — including France — in the Middle East are partly responsible for the expansion of terrorism.

He urged French President Francois Hollande to change his policies and "work for the interest of the French people." He criticized Hollande for ignoring that some of his allies support "terrorists" in Syria — a phrase he uses for all armed factions in Syria.

Assad says his country warned three years ago what would happen in Europe if the West continued to support "terrorists" in his country. He spoke Saturday as he met with French lawmakers in Damascus.

___

3:10 p.m.

Pope Francis has often framed the upsurge in violence around the globe in terms of a "third World War" being waged piecemeal through crimes, massacres, religious persecution and the destruction of cultural sites.

On Saturday, he told the Italian Bishops Conference TV2000 that the attacks in Paris were "part" of that, adding "there are no justifications for these things."

At least 127 people died in Friday night's rampage in Paris. The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility.

___

3 p.m.

Ahsan Naeem, a Paris resident for years, says he and his friends - one of whom was hit by "bullet shrapnel" inside the Bataclan club -- were still in shock after the deadly attacks that rocked Paris.

Naeem, a 39-year-old filmmaker, says "these places are the places we visit every week ... streets we walk every day. I've seen dozens of gigs at the Bataclan. Eaten at the Petit Cambodge. Sat outside Le Carillon on so many nights."

Eric Berliet, a 20-year-old student, was consumed with worry over a family friend, also 20, who was shot three times and is now "at death's door" at Saint-Antoine hospital in Paris. He says "there's sadness and anger like never before" among his friends.

He says they often go to Bataclan and nearby venues and he has a ticket at one for next week. He says "I have no idea whether I'll go now."

At least 127 people died in Friday night's rampage of shootings at Paris cafes, suicide bombings near France's national stadium and a slaughter inside a concert hall. The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility.

---

2:50 p.m.

French authorities have closed the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre Museum and other top tourist sites in Paris until further notice following deadly terror attacks.

A Louvre spokeswoman said the museum opened as normal Saturday with enhanced security, but was ordered closed by the Culture Ministry after President Francois Hollande called for national day of mourning. Isabelle Esnous, a spokeswoman for the Eiffel Tower, said the monument did not open as a security precaution.

The Culture Ministry said "public cultural sites" were closed in the Paris region Saturday, without specifying.

At least 127 people died in Friday night's rampage of shootings at Paris cafes, suicide bombings near France's national stadium and a slaughter inside a concert hall. The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility.

---

2:40 p.m.

The governor of Bavaria says the arrest of a man in Germany last week may be linked to the Paris attacks.

A spokesman for Bavarian state police spokesman confirmed that firearms, explosives and hand grenades were found when undercover police stopped a man near the German-Austrian border on Nov. 5.

Ludwig Waldinger declined to confirm reports by public broadcaster Bayrischer Rundfunk that the man appeared to be en route to Paris when he was arrested.

Bavarian governor Horst Seehofer told reporters Saturday there were "reasonable grounds" to assume that there may be a link to the Paris attacks.

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2:30 p.m.

Sweden's Prime Minister Stefan Lofven says a Swedish citizen was killed in the Paris attacks, and there are unconfirmed reports of a Swede wounded by gunfire.

Lofven said Saturday "We have been in contact with the next of kin. They should of course know that the whole of the Swedish people and my sympathy is with them, our hearts are with you."

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Victoria Bell said a Swedish national may have gun wounds. She didn't give further details about his condition.

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2:20 p.m.

The Muslim Council of Britain has condemned the horrific attacks in Paris and offered thoughts and prayers for the families of those killed.

The council offered its sympathies to the "people of France, our neighbors" in a short statement Saturday.

The council says that while the Islamic State group is claiming responsibility for the attack, "there is nothing Islamic about such people and their actions are evil, and outside the boundaries set by our faith."

---

2:15 p.m.

A member of Bavaria's regional government has called for better border controls in the wake of the Paris attacks.

Bavaria's Finance Minister Markus Soeder told weekly Welt am Sonntag that Germany needs to know who is entering the country.

The newspaper quoted Soeder as saying that "the days of unchecked immigration and illegal entry can't continue. Paris changes everything."

Bavaria has been the main point of entry for hundreds of thousands of migrants coming to Germany this year.

Soeder was quoted as saying that if Germany's federal government wasn't able to secure the border "then Bavaria can take on this task."

Soeder is a member of the conservative sister party of Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democratic Union.

---

2:10 p.m.

Parisians desperate to get in touch with family and friends missing since Friday's coordinated attacks in Paris are taking to social media under the hashtag #rechercheparis - "Paris Search" in English - posting heartfelt messages and photos.

Scores of people that attended the six sites targeted in the attacks in which at least 127 people died are still unaccounted for.

One post reads: "Waleed is missing. We last contacted him at the match, Please share & contact me if u have any info. #rechercheParis".

Another: "I've been looking for my cousin since last night... He's 25 and 1m75. He's called Younes. #rechercheParis "

The photos and messages are garnering hundreds of retweets - from users eager to help in the search for survivors.

---

2:10 p.m.

British police say they've arrested a man and called in explosive specialists at Gatwick Airport amid heightened concerns following the terror attacks in Paris.

The North Terminal at Gatwick has been evacuated as police dealt with the incident Saturday.

Police say they were called at around 9.30 a.m. (GMT) after suspicious actions by the man, who had discarded an item.

Detective Superintendent Nick May says the matter is under investigation and it is too early to say what the item may be. But he says that "given the events in Paris on Friday evening, there is heightened awareness around any such incident and it is best that we treat the matter in all seriousness."

Gatwick is Britain's second busiest airport.

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2:05 p.m.

France's interior minister has authorized local authorities to impose curfews if needed after the deadliest attacks in the country since World War II.

Bernard Cazeneuve said in a televised address Saturday that authorities are also banning all public demonstrations until Thursday.

Cazeneuve laid out increased security measures across the country, including thousands more troops and police and special protection for certain public buildings.

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1:55 p.m.

Russia's civil aviation authority is telling airlines and airports to tighten security in the wake of Friday's terrorist attacks in Paris. The national rail network also said it is taking extra security precautions.

There were no immediate details Saturday on what the increased security would entail. Russia's nerves already were strained about security in the wake of the Oct. 31 fatal crash of a Russian airliner in Egypt, a disaster widely believed to have been a terrorist attack.

In Moscow, mourners were congregating outside the French Embassy to lay flowers and express condolences.

1:50 p.m.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte says his government is boosting border controls in response to the attacks in Paris.

Rutte told reporters in The Hague on Saturday that his administration will take "visible and invisible" measures to increase security. He declined to elaborate on what form the new tougher security would take.

Rutte says "violence and extremism will never triumph over freedom and humanity."

He was speaking after meeting with ministers and security agencies to discuss the attacks in Paris.

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1:45 p.m.

Hungary's prime minister says security measures will be tightened in light of the terror attacks in Paris and has declared Sunday as a national day of mourning.

Viktor Orban also said Saturday that a special congress of his Fidesz party to have been held Sunday to elect new leadership has been postponed.

Though officials say they had no information about Hungary being a target of direct terror threats, controls will be reinforced at border checkpoints, while police patrols will be increased, for example, at airports and the country's nuclear power plant and officers will be better armed than usual.

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1:35 p.m.

Romania's foreign ministry says two of its citizens died and a third was injured in the attacks in Paris.

The ministry statement said the Romanian embassy was in contact with the families of the two Romanians. No details were available about where they died or who they were.

The ministry says the injured Romanian was treated at a hospital before being released.

---

1:25 p.m.

Prime Minister David Cameron is warning his nation to brace for casualties from the attacks in Paris, but he has left the nation's terror alert warning unchanged.

The British leader says the country "must be prepared for a number of British casualties" from the Paris atrocity. He condemned the "brutal and callous murderers".

Cameron said Saturday that the terror threat level in the UK would remain at "severe," - the second-highest level - but that authorities would review plans amid an "evolving" threat from Islamic state.

In a message of solidarity to the people of France he said: "Your values are our values, your pain is our pain, your fight is our fight."

---

1:15 p.m.

Parisians are lining up for hours to give blood, piling flowers and notes and spilling tears outside a music hall where scores of people were killed by rampaging suicide bombers who shattered the peace of the French capital.

Though deeply shaken, many residents of the hip neighborhood in eastern Paris tried Saturday to find a way to help the some 200 people wounded in a string of attacks Friday night on the concert hall, crowded cafes and a stadium.

Long lines of blood donors snaked out of the St. Louis Hospital near the site of the bloodshed.

Near the Bataclan concert hall, people who lost loved ones and those who didn't came to pay their respects. The attackers stormed the Bataclan the night of a concert by American band Eagles of Death Metal.

"For the angels of rock 'n' roll," read one note.

"For all the friends that I knew, and those I didn't know. For life," read another.

---

1:10 p.m.

Italy's top security official says security has been heightened in the country and along its borders, especially with France, following the attacks in Paris.

Interior Minister Angelino Alfano told reporters after meeting with Premier Matteo Renzi and other top security and intelligence officials that the country had raised its alert level to the second highest, allowing for rapid deployment of special forces if necessary.

Alfano says no country is free from risk and that "a great democracy like Italy needs to be ready for any event."

Alfano says 700 soldiers were being deployed immediately to Rome as a deterrent. And he sats additional security measures will be taken into consideration for the upcoming Jubilee year declared by Pope Francis that is expected to bring millions to Rome beginning Dec. 8.

---

1:00 p.m.

Two French police officials say a Syrian passport was found on the body of one of the suicide bombers who targeted France's national soccer stadium.

French President Francois Hollande said the Islamic State group orchestrated the attacks, and IS claimed responsibility.

The identities and nationalities of the attackers have not been released. At least 127 people were killed and about 200 wounded in the attacks.

The police officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to be publicly named.

---

12:40 p.m.

The president of the International Olympic Committee says the terrorist attacks in Paris are "an attack on humanity and all humanitarian and Olympic values."

Thomas Bach adds in a statement: "Today all people of goodwill will say: We are all French."

---

12:30 p.m.

A community leader from Paris' working-class suburbs says he fears a "tsunami of hatred" may await Muslims and residents of poor neighborhoods following the deadly terror attacks.

Nadir Kahia of the Banlieue Plus community association says its members are shocked and feel a sense of solidarity "but we know ... some Muslims and poor neighborhoods" will be subjected to hate speech.

Kahia also called Saturday for unity of French people and efforts to calm tensions in a text message to The Associated Press.

It came as French President Francois Hollande said at least 127 people died in Friday night's rampage of shootings at Paris cafes, suicide bombings near France's national stadium and a slaughter inside a concert hall. The Islamic State has claimed responsibility.

---

12:20 p.m.

British police say the north terminal at Gatwick Airport is being evacuated as a precaution after authorities found a suspicious article.

Police described the evacuation Saturday as a precaution, but the incident comes at a time of heightened concern in Britain in the aftermath of the terror attacks in Paris. Police have announced additional security at ports and big events in light of the attacks.

Gatwick is Britain's second busiest airport.

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12:05 p.m.

The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for attacks in Paris that killed over 120 people.

The claim was made in a statement in Arabic and French released online Saturday and circulated by supporters of the group. It was not immediately possible to confirm the authenticity of the statement, but it bore the group's logo and resembled previous statements issued by the group.

French President Francois Hollande had earlier blamed the attacks on the IS group, calling it "an act of war" and vowing to strike back.

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11:50 a.m.

The German government has ordered flags on official buildings lowered to half-mast Saturday as a sign of solidarity and sorrow over the attacks in Paris.

Flowers, candles and messages of condolence have meanwhile been placed outside the French embassy in Berlin. A vigil was planned there early Saturday afternoon.

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11:45 a.m.

Nordic governments have condemned the Paris attacks while ordinary citizens laid flowers and lit outside the French embassies across the region.

Sweden's Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom talked about "horrible news" while her Danish counterpart Kristian Jensen said "terrorists must be defeated. They cannot break democracies that stand together."

Finland's Prime MinisterJuha Sipila says "we must not give space for fear and intolerance."

After laying flowers outside the French Embassy Saturday, Danish Prime Minister Lars Loekke Rasmussen said "the perpetrators must be pursued and defeated. We will never give up."

Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf says "it is important that we stand together against this unimaginable terrorism."

Denmark's government ordered flags on official buildings lowered to half-mast Saturday as a sign of solidarity.

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11:35 a.m.

Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has called a meeting of Spain's National Security Council to "analyze the situation in the wake of the Paris attacks."

Rajoy says: "We aren't facing a war of religions, but a battle between civilization and barbarism. They may hurt us, but they can't beat us."

Speaking Saturday during a special television appearance, Rajoy says Spain was on high alert and its forces had in the past few weeks stopped several terror attacks.

He adds, "We are at France's side not just in its pain but also in its fight against those who have caused it."

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11:20 a.m.

German media reported Saturday that a 51-year-old man arrested last week after weapons were discovered in his car has been linked to the Paris attacks.

A spokesman for Bavarian state police confirmed that firearms, explosives and hand grenades had been found when undercover police stopped the suspect near the German-Austrian border on Nov. 5.

"He has refused to say what he planned to do or where the weapons came from," Ludwig Waldinger told The Associated Press. "We are providing no further information at this point."

Public broadcaster Bayrischer Rundfunk reported that German authorities contacted French officials shortly after the arrest. Citing unnamed investigators, the broadcaster reported that documents found during the arrest indicated that the man was traveling to Paris.

Bayrischer Rundfunk reported that the arms, which it said included an automatic rifle and one kilogram of TNT, were professionally hidden inside the body of the car, a VW Golf.

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11:10 a.m.

French President Francois Hollande, speaking to the nation, said attacks Friday that killed 127 people were "an act of war."

He said the attacks on a stadium, concert hall and Paris cafe diners were "committed by a terrorist army, the Islamic State group, a jihadist army, against France, against the values that we defend everywhere in the world, against what we are: A free country that means something to the whole planet."

He said France "will be merciless toward the barbarians of Islamic State group." France "will act by all means anywhere, inside or outside the country."

France is already bombing IS targets in Syria and Iraq as part of the U.S.-led coalition, and has troops fighting extremists in Africa.

---

11 a.m.

French President Francois Hollande says that the Islamic State group orchestrated the worst attacks in France since World War II and vowed to strike back.

Hollande said after an emergency security meeting Saturday that the death toll has risen to 127 in a string of near-simultaneous attacks Friday night on a concert hall, stadium and Paris cafes.

He declared three days of national mourning and put the nation's security at its highest level.

---

10:50 a.m.

British Prime Minister David Cameron will be convening his government's security committee to weigh its response to the terror attacks in France.

Cameron has pledged to do "whatever we can to help" following the attacks.

The prime minister will chair a meeting of the security committee Saturday and consider whether to raise the national threat level from "severe," the second-highest rung on a five-point scale. The current "severe' level means intelligence officials believe an attack is highly likely.

Metropolitan Police assistant commissioner Mark Rowley, the national police lead for counter-terrorism, called for "vigilance" from the general public. He says the police are liaising with their counterparts in France.

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10:35 a.m.

A resident near Paris' Bataclan concert hall spoke of their shock and disbelief over the gun attack Friday night that left around 80 revelers dead.

Entrepreneur Gabriel Delattre, 31, was arriving home on a bike when he bumped into a nightmarish scene: a man whose shirt was "black with blood" wandering by the side of another man with a large bullet hole in his cheek.

"He was staring at me," Delattre said. "He was confused and mumbling and didn't know what he was doing. He just kept saying, 'We were attacked, we got down on the floor, and we managed to get out. But the others stayed trapped.'"

---

9:40 a.m.

Disneyland Paris is closed to the public in a highly unusual move because of a string of attacks targeting a stadium, concert hall and cafes in Paris that killed at least 120.

The theme park east of Paris, one of Europe's leading tourist attractions, said in a statement that it decided not to open Saturday "in light of the recent tragic events in France and in support of our community and the victims of these horrendous attacks."

Some 14 million people visited Disneyland Paris last year.

France has deployed 1,500 extra troops around Paris and is tightening its borders because of Friday'

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9:35 a.m.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel the attackers who killed more than 120 people in Paris overnight "hate freedom."

Speaking to reporters in Berlin early Saturday, Merkel expressed grief for those who died, saying "they wanted to live the life of free people in a city that celebrates life."

She says the victims encountered "murderers who hate precisely this life of freedom."

Merkel said her country stands ready to help France in whichever way it can because the attack "was aimed not just at Paris, it targeted and it hits all of us."

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9:30 a.m.

French President Francois Hollande is meeting top government and security officials after suicide bombers targeted a stadium, concert hall and Friday night cafe crowds in attacks that killed at least 120.

The special meeting in the Elysee Palace on Saturday morning comes as police hunt for potential accomplices to eight attackers who were killed in Friday night's violence. Hollande declared a state of emergency - the first such move in a decade - and ordered 1,500 additional troops deployed.

The attacks raise concerns about international events that France is hosting, such as a UNESCO forum in Paris on Monday with world leaders, and major climate talks in Paris in two weeks.

Prime Minister Manuel Valls, Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve, Justice Minister Christiane Taubira, Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and army, gendarme and police chiefs were among those at the meeting.

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9:30 a.m.

Czech authorities have increased security measures all across the country following the terrorist attacks in Paris.

Police say they have deployed forces at all international airports, shopping centers and the French embassy in the Czech capital.

Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka says he is "horrified by the number of the innocent victims. France deserves all our possible support and solidarity."

President Milos Zeman has offered condolences to relatives of the victims. "We are all with France and its people," Zeman said in a statement.

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9:30 a.m.

Germany's foreign minister says his country stands by France after the attacks in Paris, which he described as an "inferno of terror."

Frank-Walter Steinmeier was present during the football friendly between France and Germany on Friday night, when three suicide bombs targeted spots around the national stadium.

Steinmeier said Saturday on the sidelines of the Syria talks in Vienna that "the extent of the horror ... exceeds everyone's imagination."

---

9 a.m.

Some 1,500 extra soldiers have been mobilized to guard French facilities and schools and universities are closed because of the country's deadliest attacks in decades.

Many French schools are normally open on Saturdays, but the French government ordered them shuttered as part of emergency security measures.

Soldiers were deployed at key sites around Paris, including Parliament buildings and religious sites

8:50 a.m.

Germany has offered France the help of its special anti-terror unit in the wake of the Paris attacks.

Germany's Interior Minister Thomas des Maiziere said in a statement Saturday that he is in touch with his French counterpart "and I have offered him the help of German special forces."

Ministry spokesman Tobias Plate said de Maiziere had offered "all support, including special forces such as the GSG9."

The GSG9 anti-terror unit was created after the attacks on the Munich Olympics in 1972 and saw its first major operation during the hijacking of a Lufthansa plane by a Palestinian group

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8 a.m.

The Vatican has condemned "in the most radical way" the terror attacks in Paris.

The Rev. Federico Lombardi said in a statement early Saturday that the violence was "an attack on peace for all humanity."

He said it requires "a decisive, supportive response on the part of all of us as we counter the spread of homicidal hatred in all of its forms."

Lombardi said the Vatican was praying for the victims and the wounded, "and for all the French people."

___

7 a.m.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has canceled trips to France and Italy after terror attacks in Paris that killed over 120 people.

The state-run IRNA news agency quoted Rouhani as saying Saturday that Iran "itself has been a victim of the scourge of terrorism" and the fight against terrorism must go on. It did not elaborate why he canceled the visit, but authorities said the trip would be rescheduled.

Rouhani was due in days to travel to France and Italy. France was one of the world powers involved in recent negotiations with the Islamic Republic over its contested nuclear program.

Hossein Jaber Ansari, a Foreign Ministry spokesman, also was quoted by IRNA as saying: "Those terrorist groups that committed the Paris crimes do not believe in ethical principles and they are not loyal to any type of divine religions — including Islam."

___

6:35 a.m.

Friends and relatives are using social media to search for loved ones feared to have been at the sites of the Paris attacks.

"We are looking for Marie, who was at the Bataclan, we have no news from her. If you see her, please contact me #Bataclan", reads one tweet from @Photographys, posted with a photo.

"If you have news of Christophe aka @MokeComputer he was at Bataclan tonight and we need to hear from him," tweets a user named @Lorelei_Jade.

Facebook also offered its "Safety Check" feature to allow users who listed to mark themselves as safe if they listed Paris as their location.

Earlier in the evening, Parisians used the hashtag #portesouvertes, or "open doors," to offer a place to stay for people who were evacuated from the sites of the attacks. In the U.S., some used the hashtag #strandedinUS to offer shelter for people who were unable to travel back to France.

___

6:25 a.m.

Across the Persian Gulf, countries are condemning the mass terror attack in Paris that killed at least 120 people.

In the United Arab Emirates, the state-run WAM news agency said Saturday that Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan sent a telegram to French President Francois Hollande offering his condolences and pledging support for France. WAM said Al Nahyan also supported doing "what it takes to face terrorism and eliminate it."

In tiny Kuwait, emir Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah said in a statement that he offered his condolences, while stressing that "these criminal acts of terrorism ... run counter to all teachings of holy faith and humanitarian values."

In Saudi Arabia, the state-run Saudi Press Agency quoted a Foreign Ministry official denouncing Friday's attack.

___

4:42 a.m.

President Barack Obama has spoken by phone to French President Francois Hollande to offer the condolences of the American people for the attacks in Paris.

The White House says in a statement Friday night that Obama has reiterated the United States' steadfast, unwavering support for the people of France, calling the nation America's oldest ally and friend. Obama also has reaffirmed the offer of any necessary support to the French investigation.

The White House says the two leaders have pledged to work together, and with nations around the world, to defeat the scourge of terrorism.

___

4:35 a.m.

A U.S. official briefed by the Justice Department says intelligence officials were not aware of any threats before a series of attacks in Paris.

The official says 70 U.S. citizens currently known to be in France have not yet been accounted for, although no Americans have been reported killed in Friday's attacks.

The official says all members of Eagles of Death Metal, the California-based band that was to perform at the Paris venue where one attack occurred, are safe and have been accounted for.

The official was not authorized to discuss the briefing publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

-AP reporter Michael Balsamo in New York.

___

4:33 a.m.

The Paris prosecutor's office says that eight attackers are dead after a string of attacks around the French capital, seven of them in suicide bombings.

Prosecutor's office spokeswoman Agnes Thibault-Lecuivre told The Associated Press that the eighth attacker was killed by security forces when they raided a concert hall where the assailants had taken hostages.

She said it's possible that there are terrorists still at large.

She said at least 120 people were killed in the Friday night attacks overall.

4:18 a.m.

Those who survived an attack on a Paris concert venue physically unscathed have been bused to a special crisis center for psychological support.

Some walked in dazed, their shoulders draped with emergency blankets.

Dozens of emergency workers and Red Cross workers in orange vests gathered in front of the building, the headquarters of Paris' 11th arrondissement, or district. A few police officers in bullet-proof vests stood nearby.

After meeting with counselors, some survivors were put in taxis to head home.

They had been at the Bataclan concert hall for a show of American band Eagles of Death Metal.

4:12 a.m.

President Francois Hollande says France will be "merciless" against those behind the deadliest attacks in the country in decades.

Visiting a popular music venue where more than 100 people were killed in eastern Paris, Hollande called the attacks "abomination" and "barbarism."

He called on the French to remain united. "We will lead the fight. We will be merciless."

He praised all the emergency workers offering to help throughout the long, emotional night.

It is unclear how many attackers were involved in the seven attacks, or whether any are still at large. No one has claimed responsibility.

4:18 a.m.

Those who survived an attack on a Paris concert venue physically unscathed have been bused to a special crisis center for psychological support.

Some walked in dazed, their shoulders draped with emergency blankets.

Dozens of emergency workers and Red Cross workers in orange vests gathered in front of the building, the headquarters of Paris' 11th arrondissement, or district. A few police officers in bullet-proof vests stood nearby.

After meeting with counselors, some survivors were put in taxis to head home.

They had been at the Bataclan concert hall for a show of American band Eagles of Death Metal.

4:12 a.m.

President Francois Hollande says France will be "merciless" against those behind the deadliest attacks in the country in decades.

Visiting a popular music venue where more than 100 people were killed in eastern Paris, Hollande called the attacks "abomination" and "barbarism."

He called on the French to remain united. "We will lead the fight. We will be merciless."

He praised all the emergency workers offering to help throughout the long, emotional night.

It is unclear how many attackers were involved in the seven attacks, or whether any are still at large. No one has claimed responsibility.

3:17 a.m.

Rep. Adam Schiff, the top Democrat on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, tells The Associated Press he was not aware of any chatter pointing to the Paris attacks ahead of time.

Schiff says it is unclear who was responsible for the attacks, but says the Islamic State group and al-Qaida are "distinct possibilities" — with the Islamic State more likely.

The California congressman says investigators would scour any electronic devices that they managed to recover from the gunmen. He says it is possible but not definite that some of the attackers would be known to French law enforcement — as was the case with the Charlie Hebdo attack in January.

3:10 a.m.

U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter is calling the attacks in Paris "an assault on our common human dignity."

The Pentagon chief says "the United States stands with the people of France and its vibrant, multicultural democracy."

He is praising France as a NATO ally and a leader of the coalition fighting Islamic State militants in Syria.

2:51 a.m.

The rock band U2 has postponed its Saturday night concert in Paris in the light of the deadly attacks across the city on Friday night.

HBO had planned to televise the band's performance. Instead, U2 says in a statement that it is resolved to go ahead with the concert "at an appropriate time."

For television viewers, HBO said it would replace the planned show with the film "Jersey Boys."

U2 members say they watched in shock and disbelief at the unfolding events, and were devastated by the loss of life at the concert held by Eagles of Death Metal.

U2 members say: "We hope and pray that all of our fans in Paris are safe."

2:39 a.m.

French police say they believe all of the attackers involved shootings and bombings in Paris are dead.

Micheal Cadot, the head of Paris police said Saturday that while all of the attackers are believed to have died, authorities are searching for possible accomplices in the attacks that left over 120 people dead.

2:33 a.m.

Police in the U.S. capital have sent extra officers to the French Embassy and other France-related sites and high-profile locations after the attacks in Paris.

The Metropolitan Police Department said in a news release Friday night that the moves were being made out of an abundance of caution and that there is no imminent threat to the District.

The department says Chief Cathy Lanier has been in contact with federal and regional law enforcement officials since the attacks began.

2:16 a.m.

The Paris police prefect said the attackers at the Bataclan rock venue blew themselves up with suicide belts as police closed in, killing four people. He said the gunmen first sprayed cafes outside the venue with machine gunfire, then went inside the concert hall and killed more before the assaullt by security forces.

The prefect, Michel Cadot, said the one set of attackers was at the stadium and at nearly the same time the second group attacked within the city.

Cadot said all the attackers are believed dead, although authorites are hunting for any possible accomplices.

2:10 a.m.

Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore, who was in Paris when the attacks took place, says he is suspending the broadcast of an event he was holding there.

"Out of solidarity with the French people and the City of Paris, we have decided to suspend our broadcast of 24 Hours of Reality and Live Earth. Our thoughts are with all who have been affected and the entire nation of France. We send our condolences to the families of those who have been killed or injured."

1:59 a.m.

U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch said the U.S. stands "in solidarity with France, as it has stood with us so often in the past.

"This is a devastating attack on our shared values and we at the Department of Justice will do everything within our power to assist and work in partnership with our French law enforcement colleagues," Lynch said in a statement.

1:53 a.m.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio says New York is constantly on alert for coordinated terror attacks, especially in the wake of an attack in Paris that has killed dozens.

De Blasio said in an interview with WABC-TV on Friday the attack was not only sobering, but a reminder that police officials need to be prepared and vigilant for a possible follow-up attack.

Police have stressed there is "no indication that the attack has any nexus to New York City."

Officers have been deployed to various locations in the city, including French government buildings.

French officials say several dozen people have been killed in shootings and explosions at a theater, restaurant and elsewhere in Paris.

1:48 a.m.

Massachusetts State Police say they're increasing security around the area of the State House following the deadly attacks in Paris.

In addition, State Police said Friday they are monitoring intelligence at Logan International Airport in Boston.

State Police troop commanders also are directing on-duty troopers to have a heightened awareness of potential suspicious activity within their patrol areas.

State Police acted as attackers killed at least 100 people in a popular Paris concert hall. It was one of at least six terror attacks across the city in the deadliest violence Paris has seen since World War II.

1:40 a.m.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo says the One World Trade Center spire will be lit blue, white and red in honor of dozens killed in the Paris attacks.

Cuomo says the 408-foot (125-meter)spire will be illuminated Friday night and in the days to come. The governor says the act shows New York will stand with the people of France.

New York City officers have been deployed to various parts of the city, including French government buildings. Heavily-armed officers stood outside of the French Consulate in Manhattan as passers-by brought flowers.

Police have stressed there is "no indication that the attack has any nexus to New York City."

French officials say several dozen people have been killed in shootings and explosions at a theater, restaurant and elsewhere in Paris.

1:37 a.m.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is describing the attacks in Paris as "heinous, evil" and "vile," calling them "an assault on our common humanity."

Kerry says the U.S. embassy in Paris is "making every effort to account for the welfare of American citizens in the city."

The State Department says U.S. citizens can contact 1-888-407-4747 (from the U.S.) or 202-501-4444 (from other countries) for assistance.

Kerry says the U.S. stands ready "to provide whatever support the French government may require."

Kerry was speaking from Vienna, where he is scheduled to attend talks Saturday on the crisis in Syria.

Vice President Joe Biden calls the attacks "heartbreaking" and "outrageous" and says, "Such savagery can never threaten who we are."

1:29 a.m.

Tens of thousands of people join the football players at Monumental stadium in Buenos Aires in offering tribute to the dead and wounded in Paris before the start of a World Cup qualifying match between Argentina and Brazil.

With players standing on the field Friday night, the crowd in the stands fell silent for a minute in acknowledging the bloodshed in the French capital. Some applauded as the tribute ended.

1:25 a.m.

Paris Prosecutor Francois Molins says the death toll in attacks at six sites around the French capital could exceed 120.

Speaking near a popular music venue where scores of people were taken hostage, Molins said early Saturday that five attackers may have been killed.

1:15 a.m.

The Paris hospital service says medical personnel are reporting for work of their own accord to help treat the injured in the multiple attacks in the city, and that others were being called in as part of a plan to deal with emergencies.

Among those called in minutes after the first reports went out was Patrick Pelloux, an emergency room doctor and former writer for Charlie Hebdo. Pelloux was also among the first to see the aftermath of the Jan. 7 attacks.

At least 100 people died in a Paris concert hall where attackers seized hostages Friday, an official said. At least five other terror attacks unfolded across the city in the deadliest violence Paris has seen since World War II.

1 a.m.

The French president has formally declared the state of emergency on all mainland territory and Corsica during a Cabinet meeting urgently summoned at the Elysee palace on Friday night.

Under French law, the state of emergency can be decided in the event of "imminent danger following serious breaches of law and order."

The state of emergency allows state authorities to forbid the movement of persons and vehicles at specific times and places. They can also define protected areas and safety areas where the movement of persons is controlled.

The state of emergency also allows police to perform house searches day and night —instead of performing them only at daylight.

12:55 a.m.

Management for rock band Eagles of Death Metal, who were scheduled to perform Friday at a venue in Paris where hostages were taken and scores were killed say they are "trying to determine the safety and whereabouts" of the band and its crew.

The American band was supposed to perform at the Bataclan, a theater located in eastern Paris. The band, formed in 1998 in Palm Desert, California, was celebrating the October release of "Zipper Metal" with an European tour.

Police officials who were not authorized to be named said at least 100 people died at the Bataclan Friday, and that a police assault left at least two attackers dead.

12:45 a.m.

Twitter accounts linked to jihadists are celebrating the attacks in Paris.

According to the SITE Intelligence Group tracking militant sites, Twitter posts attributed to jihadist supporters are speculating which group may be responsible. Many users expressed belief that the Islamic Group could be behind the carnage.

They used Arabic-language hashtags that translated to "Paris on fire" and "Caliphate state strikes France."

SITE says that accounts also circulated pictures of the attacks, and one pro-IS channel accused France of sending warplanes to bomb Syria and says "today it drinks from the same cup."

A French police official says top government officials including President Francois Hollande were headed to the Bataclan concert hall where hostages were taken.

Another official said at least 100 people died inside the hall. A police assault on the venue finished early Saturday, leaving at least two attackers dead, officials said.

The officials were not authorized to be named because operations were ongoing.

12:20 a.m.

A French police official says at least 100 people have been killed inside a Paris concert hall where attackers seized hostages. The hostage-taking was one in a series of at least six attacks across the French capital.

12:10 a.m.
 
A French government official says the country's state of emergency has gone into effect and that President Francois Hollande is cancelling his trip to the G-20 meeting in Turkey.

Hollande was due to leave Saturday for the meeting in Turkey, which was to focus in large part on growing fears of terrorism carried out by Islamic extremists.

The official, who was not authorized to be named, said the government will hold a defense council meeting in the morning.

12 a.m.

Two Paris police officials say security forces have ended their assault on a concert hall filled with hostages, killing at least two attackers. Neither official could be named, citing ongoing operations throughout the city.

One official described "carnage" inside the building, saying the attackers had tossed explosives at the hostages. Both officials said they expected the toll of victims to rise.

Friday, Nov. 13, 2015

11:45 p.m.

World leaders have expressed shock at the violence in Paris.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel says she is "deeply shaken by the news and pictures that are reaching us from Paris." The German leader issued a statement saying her thoughts were with the victims "of the apparent terrorist attack."

The Secretary-General of the NATO alliance says he is "deeply shocked by horrific Paris attacks."

Jens Stoltenberg said in a Twitter message that "We stand together with the people of #France. Terrorism will never defeat democracy."

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is condemning "the despicable terrorist attacks" in Paris and is demanding the immediate release of numerous hostages being held in the Bataclan theater.

11:35 p.m.

Three police officials confirm that security forces have launched an assault on the Paris concert hall where hostages have been taken.

None of the officials could be named when discussing the ongoing operation, which several officials said involved dozens of hostages.

The Paris police prefecture told resident to remain home and avoid going out unless absolutely necessary.

11:30 p.m.
 
Automatic gunfire and blasts have rung out from the area of a Paris music hall where police say people are being held hostage.

Scores of police are surrounding the Bataclan concert hall, and sirens are wailing throughout the neighborhood.

The gunfire began soon after French President Francois Hollande said security forces were launching an assault on one of several sites targeted in attacks Friday night around Paris.

11:20 p.m.

A police union official says there were two suicide attacks and a bombing near the national stadium where France and Germany were playing a friendly match.

The official, Gregory Goupil of the Alliance Police Nationale, whose region includes the area of the stadium, said there were at least three dead in the attacks near the stadium, near two of the entrances and a McDonalds restaurant.

He said the explosions went off simultaneously. He did not provide more details.

11:05 p.m.

President Barack Obama is calling the attacks on Paris "outrageous attempt to terrorize innocent civilians" and is vowing to do whatever it takes to help bring the perpetrators to justice.

Speaking to reporters at the White House, Obama said he would not speculate about who was responsible.

He called the attacks a "heartbreaking situation" and an "attack on all of humanity."

Obama was briefed on the attacks Friday by his counterterrorism adviser Lisa Monaco.

The attacks come as the president is preparing for two trips abroad. He's slated to leave Saturday for a nine-day trip to Turkey, the Philippines and Malaysia. He due to travel to Paris for climate change talks at the end of the month.

11:00 p.m.

French President Francois Hollande says he is closing the country's borders and declaring a state of emergency after several dozen people were killed in a series of unprecedented terrorist attacks.

Hollande, in a televised address to his nation, said the nation would stand firm and united against the attackers.

He said security forces are assaulting one of the sites hit by Friday's attacks, without elaborating.

"It's a horror," he said.

10:50 p.m.

British Prime Minister David Cameron says he is "shocked" by the Paris attacks and violence.

Cameron said on Twitter "Our thoughts and prayers are with the French people. We will do whatever we can to help."

French police say at least 35 were killed in multiple acts of violence took place in Paris Friday night, including shootings at restaurants and a hostage-taking at a music theater.

10:40 p.m.

A White House official says President Barack Obama has been briefed on the attacks in Paris.

The official says counterterrorism adviser Lisa Monaco briefed the president. The official was not authorized to talk about the private discussion and demanded anonymity.

Obama is slated to travel to Paris at the end of the month to attend a United Nations conference on climate change.

10:35 p.m.

Hundreds of people spilled onto the field of the Stade de France stadium after explosions were heard nearby during a friendly match between the French and German national soccer teams.

A stadium announcer made an announcement over the loudspeaker after the match, telling fans to avoid certain exits "due to events outside," without elaborating.

At first that prompted some panic, but then the crowds just walked dazed, hugging each other and looking at their phones for the latest news of the violence.

Many appeared hesitant to leave amid the uncertainty after France's deadliest attacks in decades.

10:22

Former U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff says it is too early to know exactly what was happening in Paris.

Social media posts from purported ISIS supporters could indicate that "there was a group waiting for this, but it could be a group watching," Chertoff said in an interview with MSNBC Friday night.

"I don't think we can say this proves anything, but again it supports the idea that it's terrorism," Chertoff said.

John Cohen, a former Homeland Security Department counterterrorism coordinator, say the presence of multiple attack scenes at the same time suggested a coordinated effort to "send a message" and raises immediate terror concerns, including for other cities in Europe and potentially the United States as well. He said both Al Qaida and ISIS have relied on the strategy of coordinated attacks in the past.

10:14 p.m.

A Paris police official said there were at least 100 hostages in a Paris theater following shooting and explosions at two cites in the city.

Multiple officials, including one medical official, put the number of dead at between 35 to 40 people.

All officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to be publicly named according to police policy.

10:10 p.m.

U.S. Homeland Security Department officials monitoring the attacks in Paris say there is no known, credible threat against the United States.

DHS officials are in contact with their foreign counterparts amid reports of multiple shootings and explosions in Paris.

Police officials in France say at least 26 people have been killed and a hostage-taking situation is underway at a theater.

10:00 p.m.

Two police officials say that at least 26 people have been killed in shootings and explosions around Paris, in the deadliest violence in France in decades.

One of the police officials said 11 people were killed in a Paris restaurant in the 10th arrondissement and about 15 killed in the Bataclan theater, where a hostage-taking is under way.

Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to be publicly named according to police policy.

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A look at some past notable extremist attacks in Western Europe:

Jan. 7, 2015: A gun assault on the Paris offices of satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo kills 12 people. Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it was revenge for Charlie Hebdo's depictions of the Prophet Mohammed.

May 24, 2014: Four people are killed at the Jewish Museum in Brussels by an intruder with a Kalashnikov. The accused is a former French fighter linked to the Islamic State group in Syria.

May 22, 2013: Two al-Qaida inspired extremists run down British soldier Lee Rigby in a London street, then stab and hack him to death.

March 2012: A gunman claiming links to al-Qaida kills three Jewish schoolchildren, a rabbi and three paratroopers in Toulouse, southern France.

July 22, 2011: Anti-Muslim extremist Anders Behring Breivik plants a bomb in Oslo then attacks a youth camp on Norway's Utoya island, killing 77 people, many of them teenagers.

Nov. 2, 2011: Offices of Charlie Hebdo in Paris are firebombed after the satirical magazine runs a cover featuring a caricature of the Prophet Muhammad. No one is injured.

July 7, 2005: 52 commuters are killed when four al Qaida-inspired suicide bombers blow themselves up on three London subway trains and a bus.

March 11, 2004: Bombs on rush-hour trains kill 191 at Madrid's Atocha station in Europe's worst Islamic terror attack.

Aug. 15, 1998: A car bomb planted by an Irish Republican Army splinter group kills 29 people in the town of Omagh, the deadliest single bombing of Northern Ireland's four-decade conflict.

July 25, 1995: A bomb at the Saint-Michel subway station in Paris kills eight people and injures about 150. It was one of a series of bombings claimed by Algeria's GIA, or Armed Islamic Group.

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AP writers Greg Keller and Jerome Pugmire contributed to this story.