Paris Terror Attacks: Woman Connected to Paris Attacks in Syria, French Official Says

Photo by Direction centrale de la Police judiciaire via Getty Images(PARIS) — Authorities in France have a better idea on the whereabouts of a woman who has connections to at least one of the hostage-takers, and who is wanted in connection with the killing of a police officer in Paris.

A French police source with close knowledge of the case confirmed to ABC News on Saturday that Hayat Boumeddiene, 26, is now in Syria.

Boumeddiene travelled from Paris well before the attacks started on Jan. 7. She reportedly first arrived in Madrid on Jan. 2 and then traveled to Istanbul and then left for Syria by Jan. 8, according to the source.

Boumeddiene has been linked to the killing of a police officer on Thursday. Another suspect in that death, Amedi Coulibaly, allegedly took hostages at a supermarket in East Paris on Friday.

On Friday, police confirmed a link between Coulibaly and the two gunmen, Cherif Kouachi and his brother Said Kouachi, suspected in the Charlie Hebdo massacre that killed 12.

Coulibally was tried and convicted several years ago for attempting to break convicted terrorist Smain Ali Belkacem out of prison.

One of the gunmen suspected in the Charlie Hebdo attack, Cherif Kouachi, was also tried in the Belkacem case but was not convicted, according to the Paris Public Prosecutor’s office.

Boumeddiene and the wife of Cherif Kouachi had exchanged more than 500 phone calls in 2014, the Paris Prosecutor said Friday, indicating constant contact between the two couples.

U.S. officials have been notified that Boumeddiene has moved on to Syria, a senior U.S. official told ABC News on Saturday.


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