[ot-caption title=”The terrorist attacks in Paris have led to an increase in security measures and a change in strategy in the international community ”  (via, Oren/Flickr)”]

The Paris terror attacks that took place on November 13th, 2015 have been dominating the news lately, and recent discoveries have been made about the perpetrators that are a part of ISIS, the terrorist group that claimed responsibility for the attacks.  After a seven hour fight and firing more than 5000 rounds of ammunition with well-armed terrorists, the ringleader behind the shootings and bombings that killed 129 people in Paris is dead.  According to French officials, the body of Abdelhamid Abaaoud was found in the rubble of an apartment located in the northern Paris suburb of Saint-Denis just six days after the deadliest terrorist attack in Europe since the Madrid train bombings of 2004. The same French officials also identified the body of 26-year-old Hasna Ait Boulahcen, who is believed to be Abaaoud’s cousin. After a police raid on the apartment, Ait Boulahcen was found dead, but she did not use a suicide bomb to kill herself as was previously suspected. Two additional suspects are believed to be on the run.

Along with claiming responsibility for the Paris attacks, ISIS has also claimed responsibility for the downing of a Russian passenger jet over Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula last month. And, in a video released yesterday, ISIS has threatened new attacks in the United States, France, and Italy. The New York City Police department has deployed more of its anti-terrorism squad as a result of the ISIS video, which specifically named Times Square as a possible target. In Italy, one thousand members of the army have been deployed around the country in order to heighten security in the popular tourist destination of Rome, along with the Vatican.  In France, The French National Assembly has declared the country to be in a state of emergency.

By attacking civilians in France and taking responsibility for blowing up the Russian passenger jet, ISIS has caused the United States, France, and Russia to seek the formation an alliance against ISIS. President Obama has signaled that he is open to greater cooperation with Russia and is providing intelligence to facilitate French airstrikes against ISIS targets.

Sources: ABC, FOX News, New York Times, CNN, The Guardian

Photo Source: Oren