Elite forces have entered Toulouse suspect's apartment, police sources say

[dipsydoodle]

Source: FRANCE 24.

AFP - Police were inside the apartment of a self-proclaimed Al-Qaeda militant blamed for a series of deadly shootings in southern France, a police source told AFP Thursday.

Officers were slowly moving "step by step" inside the apartment for fear of booby traps, the source said, but added there was no sign yet of suspect Mohamed Merah. "He has not shown himself," the source said.

Read more: http://www.france24.com/en/20120322-police-inside-french-shooting-suspects-apartment

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10.35 Police sources say Mohammed Merah is dead, reports Fiona Govan.

10.34 It would appear that the siege is over - 32 and a half hours since it began.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/france/9157126/Toulouse-siege-live.html

times are GMT and Telegraph link used because its the most up to date.

1105:

In describing the final moments of the confrontation, Mr Gueant said the policeman tried to protect themselves from the assault by Mohammed Merah. At the end Merah jumped through a window with one weapon in his hand still shooting, and he was then found dead on the ground.
1102:

Mr Gueant said after a few moments of shooting he was found dead. Two officers were injured. He also paid tribute to the officers and all the authorities who carried out the operation.
1101:

Interior Minister Claude Gueant says there was no reaction from the apartment, they stormed the door and used windows to get in. The forces used video to inspect rooms inside the apartment, and there was no sign of the man, who stayed in his bathroom. When they started to inspect it he came out of the bathroom shooting with ferocity that those at the scene had not seen before.
1056:

Europe1 says it understands that Mohammed Merah resisted being taken alive by opening fire from the balcony of his apartment.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/17471313

[Yo_Mama]

1. He called the news earlier

http://www.france24.com/en/20120321-toulouse-gunman-calls-france-24-before-pre-dawn-raid

That explains why the police are so anxious to take him alive.

Speaking to FRANCE 24’s senior editor Ebba Kalondo for 11 minutes in “clear French”, he said that his actions were part of a “much larger campaign” and that the country could expect further attacks in Lyon, Marseille and Paris.

[cindyperry2010]

2. Said he

was dead

[pinboy3niner]

3. That's what CNN is reporting, sourced to its French affiliate BFM-TV

BFM reported police sources confirm he is dead. No details yet.

[Behind the Aegis]

4. The asshole is dead according to multiple sources.

The big issue now is if he did it himself or was killed in the raid.

[muriel_volestrangler]

5. Jumped from a window

Interior Minister Claude Gueant said officers had thrown grenades and entered by the door and windows of the flat shortly after 09:30 GMT.

After surveying the scene and finding no sign of the suspect, they proceeded to the bathroom.

The suspect came out of the bathroom firing several weapons and then jumped from a window, continuing to fire. He was then found dead on the ground.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-17473207

It sounds as if they made an effort to take him alive, but you can't always do that with an armed man.

[geek tragedy]

7. Splat goes the monster. nt

[Nolimit]

6. SOB doesn't deserve the easy way out

nt

[JDPriestly]

8. Sarkozy plans to ride to another term on this guy's back.

Who was Mohammed Merah?

Why did he do what he did?

Was he mentally ill?

Was he manipulated?

Or was he really a member of Al Qaeda as he is said to have claimed?