The suspected architect behind the Paris terrorist attacks, Abdelhamid Abaaoud, was killed in a Wednesday morning police raid in Saint-Denis, French prosecutor François Molins confirmed on Thursday. Initially there was trouble determining whether Abaaoud, who was the target of the raid, had been killed; authorities were able to make a positive ID using his fingerprints. A woman who is believed to have been Abaaoud's cousin was also killed during the raid, after detonating a suicide bomb. A Belgian, Abaaoud had apparently planned to attack additional targets in France, such as Paris' La Defense business district, and had assembled "a total war arsenal." Eight people were arrested during the raid. It is still unclear if Abaaoud was killed by police or if he blew himself up.
Abaaoud had been living in Syria fighting for ISIS, but is thought to have made trips to and from Europe while eluding authorities. As late as Tuesday, U.S. and French officials believed he was still in Syria.
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