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PARIS (AP) — The search for the gunmen who killed 12 people in yesterday's attack in France is focused on two small towns northeast of Paris.
Two men resembling the suspects robbed a gas station in that area early today. Police swarmed the site, while helicopters hovered overhead. Later, large numbers of special police units arrived in the second town amid reports that the suspects had holed up there.
The suspects are described as French brothers with possible ties to a Yemeni terrorist network. One of the men, Cherif Kouachi (sheh-REEF' koo-AH'-shee), was convicted of terrorism in 2008.
His lawyer confirms that police tracked down the identities of the brothers because one of them left his ID behind in a getaway car.
Amid fears they may be planning more violence, 800 extra police are patrolling schools, places of worship and transit hubs in Paris.
There are also fears of a backlash against France's large and diverse Muslim community. Two explosions went off near mosques in France early today. No one was injured.
French President Francois Hollande (frahn-SWAH' oh-LAWND') is appealing for tolerance.
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141-c-15-(Lori Hinnant (HIH'-nihnt), AP correspondent)-"as zero risk"-AP correspondent Lori Hinnant reports French security officials were aware of the suspected attackers. (8 Jan 2015)
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159-a-14-(French man at public observance for victims of newspaper terror attack, in interview)-"here all together"-This man, who was part of the public commemoration for the victims of yesterday's attack, says the French people are united. COURTESY: Sky News ((mandatory on-air credit)) (8 Jan 2015)
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APPHOTO LON815: In this image made from amateur video recorded on Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2015 by Jordi Mir, masked gunman get into a car moments after shooting a police officer outside the offices of French satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo in Paris. Paris residents captured chilling video images of two masked gunmen shooting a police officer after an attack at a French satirical newspaper. In the video, the gunmen armed with assault rifles are seen running up to an injured police officer, who lies squirming on the ground. The police officer raises his hands up before one of the assailants shoots him in the head at a close range. (AP Photo/Jordi Mir) NO SALES (7 Jan 2015)
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APPHOTO PDJ110: A police officer waits for members of the anti terrorist squad to finish searching the village of Fleury, 80 kilometers northeast of Paris, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2015, where the suspects of a shooting at a Paris newspaper office were reportedly spotted. Masked gunmen stormed the Paris offices of a weekly newspaper Wednesday that caricatured the Prophet Muhammad, killing at least 12 people, including the editor, before escaping in a car. It was France's deadliest postwar terrorist attack. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong) (8 Jan 2015)
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