Reuters
Police near the site of the hostage-taking in southern France.
- An armed man has taken hostages in southern France in a terror attack on Friday.
- He is reportedly demanding the release of jihadist Salah Abdeslam.
- Abdeslam is the only living suspect in the 2015 Paris attacks that killed 130.
- He evaded police for months before his arrest in 2016, during which time he was Europe's most wanted man.
- He has repeatedly refused to cooperate with attempts to prosecute him.
An armed terrorist who took hostages in a French supermarket is reportedly demanding the release of Europe's most notorious jihadist.
The attacker opened fire inside a Super U supermarket in Trèbes, southern France, on Friday. He shouted his allegiance to ISIS and held hostages inside.
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According to the French TV channels La Chaîne Info (LCI) and BFMTV, the man has been making demands of French authorities, and asked for the release of Salah Abdeslam.
Thomson Reuters
A French National Police wanted poster asked for information on Salah Abdeslam.
Both channels cited anonymous sources for the claim. LCI did not name the man, but said police know who he is, and described him as a Moroccan.
Abdeslam, 28, is the only living suspect linked to the 2015 attacks in Paris, which included the Bataclan theatre shooting, and claimed the lives of 130 people.
He went on the run after the attacks, and evaded capture for four months. He was ultimately arrested by police in Brussels.
His last reported location was Fleury-Mérogis prison in the suburbs of Paris
AP
A court sketch of Salah Abdeslam on trial in Belgium (local law bans photography in court).
Abdeslam has gone on trial in Belgium over a shoot-out with police in the days before his arrest, but has yet to be tried over the Paris attacks themselves.
A report of court proceedings in February by the Daily Telegraph said Abdeslam was refusing to answer questions on the grounds that European courts are biased against Muslims.