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Paris attacks: Turkey says it notified France twice about attacker, says senior official

Ismael Omar Mostefai is the only attacker to have formally been named by police in France

Belek, Turkey

Monday 16 November 2015 13:02 GMT

People weep as they gather to observe a minute-silence at the Place de la Republique in memory of the victims of the Paris terror attacks (Getty )

Turkey notified France twice in December 2014 and June 2015 about one of the attackers in suicide bombings and shootings in Paris that killed more than 130 people, a senior Turkish government official said on Monday.

Turkey only received an information request from France about Ismael Omar Mostefai after Friday's attacks, the Turkish official said. Mostefai entered Turkey in 2013 but there was no record of him leaving again, the official said.

Mostefai, 29, from Chartres, southwest of Paris, is the only attacker to have formally been named by police in France. He was identified by the print from one of his fingers that was severed when his suicide vest exploded.

Turkey received an information request from France on Oct. 10, 2014, regarding four terror suspects but during its investigation identified a fifth individual, Mostefai, the official said. It twice notified France of its findings but only heard back after Friday's attacks.

Silence for Paris victims

The senior government official said Mostefai entered Turkey in 2013 but there was no record of him exiting.

Under pressure from Western allies to ramp up its fight against Islamic State, Ankara opened up its air bases to the U.S.-led coalition in July and has tightened border controls to try to stop the flow of foreign jihadists.

But it has complained about a lack of robust intelligence sharing between allies and urged the West to provide more information about potential suspects.

The world mourns Paris attacks - in pictures

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Members of the public gather to lay flowers and light candles at La Belle Equipe restaraunt on Rue de Charonne in Paris

Getty

The world mourns Paris attacks - in pictures

The world mourns Paris attacks

People lay a memorial to honour victims of the Paris terror attacks at Federation Square in Melbourne, Australia

The world mourns Paris attacks - in pictures

The world mourns Paris attacks

Soccer fans display the colors of the French flag in response to the deadly terrorist attack in Paris, France before the soccer match between the New York Cosmos' and the Ottawa Fury for the North American Soccer League championship at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York, USA

The world mourns Paris attacks - in pictures

The world mourns Paris attacks

Pakistani Civil society activists shout slogans during a protest against Isis militants near the French consulate for the victims of the 13 November Paris attacks in Karachi, Pakistan

The world mourns Paris attacks - in pictures

The world mourns Paris attacks

People gather and view messages written on the ground at Place de la Republique in Paris

The world mourns Paris attacks - in pictures

The world mourns Paris attacks

French flags and a note reading "We will not let you spoil our children's lives" at the site of the attack at the Cafe Belle Equipe on rue de Charonne in the 11th district, in Paris

The world mourns Paris attacks - in pictures

The world mourns Paris attacks

A rose is placed beside a bullet hole at La Belle Equipe restaraunt on Rue de Charonne following the terrorist attack in Paris. As France observes three days of national mourning members of the public continue to pay tribute to the victims of deadly attacks

The world mourns Paris attacks - in pictures

The world mourns Paris attacks

The world mourns Paris attacks - in pictures

The world mourns Paris attacks

Bono and band members of U2 pay their respects and place flowers on the pavement near the scene of yesterday's Bataclan Theatre terrorist attack in Paris

The world mourns Paris attacks - in pictures

The world mourns Paris attacks

A man kneels as he pays tribute to victims at Place de la Republique near the deadly attack sites in Paris

The world mourns Paris attacks - in pictures

The world mourns Paris attacks

Tributes to the victims at the Place de la Republique square in Paris

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The world mourns Paris attacks - in pictures

The world mourns Paris attacks

An electronic billboard on a canal show solidarity with Paris in Milan

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The world mourns Paris attacks - in pictures

The world mourns Paris attacks

People lay down flowers and light candles to tribute victims of Friday's attacks in Paris as the Brandenburg gate is illuminated in blue, white and red in the colors of the French flag, in Berlin

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The world mourns Paris attacks - in pictures

The world mourns Paris attacks

A man leaves flowers as a tribute following the deadly attacks in Paris, outside the French consulate in Istanbul

Reuters

The world mourns Paris attacks - in pictures

The world mourns Paris attacks

People take pictures of flowers placed in bullet holes in the window of a Japanese restaurant next to the cafe 'La Belle Equipe'

AFP

The world mourns Paris attacks - in pictures

The world mourns Paris attacks

People gather at a makeshift memorial next to the Bataclan theatre in Paris on November 14, 2015,

The world mourns Paris attacks - in pictures

The world mourns Paris attacks

A woman carrying flowers cries in front of the Carillon cafe and the Petit Cambodge restaurant in Paris

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The world mourns Paris attacks - in pictures

The world mourns Paris attacks

People gather in front of flowers that were laid outside the French embassy in Rome

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The world mourns Paris attacks - in pictures

The world mourns Paris attacks

People react near the cafe 'La Belle Equipe' at the Rue de Charonne

AFP

The world mourns Paris attacks - in pictures

The world mourns Paris attacks

A young girl places a candle in front of the Carillon cafe in Paris

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The world mourns Paris attacks - in pictures

The world mourns Paris attacks

Flowers placed outside the cafe 'La Belle Equipe' at the Rue de Charonne in Paris, the scene for one of the attacks

AFP

The world mourns Paris attacks - in pictures

The world mourns Paris attacks

A woman is comforted by others outside the Carillon cafe and the Petit Cambodge restaurant in Paris

The world mourns Paris attacks - in pictures

The world mourns Paris attacks

The Brandenbourg Gate featuring French national colors is pictured in Berlin, on November 14, 2015 a day after deadly attacks in Paris

The world mourns Paris attacks - in pictures

The world mourns Paris attacks

Flowers are laid in front of the French embassy in Rome

EPA

The world mourns Paris attacks - in pictures

The world mourns Paris attacks

A candle is lit next to flowers outside the French Embassy in Berlin

AFP

"This is not a time to play the blame game, but we are compelled to share (this) information to shed light on (Mostefai's) travel history," the Turkish official said.

"(His) case clearly establishes that intelligence sharing and effective communication are crucial to counter-terrorism efforts," the official said.

Reuters

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