[Mrluvaluva]

A man who claims to be a member of al Qaeda has taken several hostages at a bank in Toulouse, southwest France - as reports say a person has been released.



One of the four held - which included the bank's manager - has been freed from the building, according to French media organisations.

An elite police unit has begun negotiations with the hostage-taker at CIC bank on Avenue Camille Pujol.

Anti-terrorist police from the nearby cities of Bordeaux and Marseille have also arrived at the scene, which has been cordoned off and a local school has been evacuated.

But Sky's defence and security editor Sam Kiley stressed that the man's links to al Qaeda have yet to be verified.

"Most of the indicators are that it seems more like a bank robbery that has gone wrong," he said.

"And frankly, if you are a common criminal and you suddenly say you are linked to al Qaeda, you get a lot more specialist treatment.
"It's good for the ego."

The hostage taker had asked to speak to French police's Raid commando unit - the squad which, in March, shot dead Mohammed Merah who had killed seven people in the same city.

Kiley said that whereas Merah had proven links to terrorist organisations, "it remains to be seen whether or not this guy is indeed an Islamic militant or just a bank robber".

Merah killed three Jewish schoolchildren, a rabbi and three French soldiers, and was shot by police following a 30-hour siege.

The 23-year-old, of Algerian descent, filmed his shootings, which spanned a three-week period, and reportedly told police they were an attempt to "bring France to its knees".

Merah's family are attempting to sue the French government and Raid sqaud for his death, "even though he had been firing from his flat where he was eventually cornered after his killing spree," Kiley said.

The CIC bank and Merah's former flat are very close, in the Cote Pavee neighbourhood of east Toulouse.

More follows...


Sky


Doesn't sound like something they would do to be honest, but who knows...

[arista]

Second Hostage Freed
2 still being held


Ref: France24, SkyNewsHD

[arista]

French Special Police
Now have him Detained


Ref: France24 , SkyNewsHD