Hollande says France at war against ‘cowards’, not ‘civilizations’

French bombing sorties against ISIS strongholds in Syria intensified after president Francois Hollande addressed both houses of Parliament in Versailles on Monday, and the US European Command has issued travel restrictions on its personnel.

A rocket launcher, pistols and a Kalashnikov were reportedly seized.

Hollande said the United States and Russia needed to set aside their policy divisions over Syria, adding that he hoped to meet soon with President Barack Obama and Russian leader Vladimir Putin “to unify our strength and achieve a result that has been too long in coming”.

The attack comes as France has heightened security measures ahead of a major global climate conference that starts in two weeks, out of fear of violent protests and potential terrorist attacks.

He said security forces had put more than 100 people under house arrest and raided 168 premises since he declared a state of emergency, which he asked parliament to extend for three months.

A French official, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity, said police had identified the suspected mastermind as Abdelhamid Abaaoud, a Belgian national believed to be in Syria.

Paris Prosecutor Francois Molins said as many as five attackers may have been killed, though it was not clear how many there were altogether and how many were still at large.

Earlier on Monday, French Prime Minister Manuel Valls confirmed his government was aware of terror plotting ahead of Saturday’s (AEDT) deadly violence in Paris.

Amimour was born in Paris and was previously known to French authorities.

A Turkish official said its police had twice warned France about Mostefai, who was one of 10,000 people tagged by French intelligence as an extremist.

“We need to understand how this barbarism can exist and why France is paying this heavy price”, David Boy, a 52-year-old advertising agency boss said, his lips trembling as he lingered at one of the memorials on his way to work.

However, Iraqi intelligence officials told the AP they provided other details to France, including that attackers had been trained specifically for Friday’s attack and were deployed from Raqqa.

“Once again, the terrorists have attacked France, the French people, young people”. “We must change our constitution to act against terrorism”.

French police said they were seeking a “dangerous” suspect still on the run, 26-year-old Salah Abdeslam, who is said to be one of three brothers linked to the slaughter.

French authorities are particularly concerned about the threat from hundreds of French Islamic radicals who have travelled to Syria and returned home with skills to stage violence.

One brother blew himself up in the Bataclan concert venue and was identified from a severed finger, while the third was arrested in Belgium but released without charge.

He and two other men were stopped at the time.