responding to rising threats across europe, france on thursday sought to extend a sweeping state of emergency for three months, as belgium proposed tough new measures to detain and monitor suspects who support jihadist groups.









the calls for a crackdown came as french prosecutors confirmed thursday that the accused ringleader of the nov.<u+00a0>13 terrorist attacks in paris was killed in a massive pre-dawn police raid wednesday. the death of abdelhamid abaaoud, a belgian militant of moroccan descent, did little to calm european unease about the specter of more attacks.









in italy, officials said the fbi had warned of a specific threat in vatican city, rome and milan.









in an ominous address <u+2014> echoing the debate in the u.s. congress after the sept.<u+00a0>11, 2001, attacks <u+2014> french prime minister manuel valls said authorities must imagine that the grimmest threats are possible.









<u+201c>we know and bear in mind that there is also a risk of chemical or biological weapons,<u+201d> valls told parliament during debate on extending the country<u+2019>s state of emergency. the temporary measure was enacted immediately after the deadly multi-pronged attacks on paris that killed at least 129 people and wounded more than 350.









french interior minister bernard cazeneuve warned that now <u+201c>it is necessary to move fast and hard.<u+201d>









he said that <u+201c>all europe must work together to defeat terrorism<u+201d> and called for an emergency meeting of the continent<u+2019>s interior ministers friday.









some european leaders seemed prepared to sweep aside cherished traditions that protect rights to privacy and civil liberties.









in belgium, prime minister charles michel pressed parliament to pass tough measures to imprison citizens returning home from fighting in syria and to broaden law enforcement<u+2019>s ability to tap phones and detain suspects for three days without charges. he called for shutting down web sites that advocate for jihad, or islamic holy war.









the moves came as fears ratcheted up across europe of more hidden terrorist cells preparing similar strikes.









italian foreign minister paolo gentiloni said italian security forces were <u+201c>working to identify five people<u+201d> who may be planning attacks on st. peter<u+2019>s basilica in vatican city, milan<u+2019>s duomo or the la scala opera house.









the u.s. state department issued a travel warning to american citizens visiting italy, calling those landmarks <u+201c>potential targets<u+201d> but also flagging possible threats to <u+201c>churches, synagogues, restaurants, theaters and hotels<u+201d> in rome and milan.









gentiloni told the italian state television network rai that the fbi provided information about the five possible suspects.









the three-month extension of emergency laws would grant the french government powers to conduct stops and searches, ban large gatherings in public places, and put suspected extremists under house arrest.









the measure, approved in the national assembly on thursday, now goes to the french senate for expected final backing friday.









in belgium, police searched at least eight homes in connection with bilal hadfi, 20, one of the suicide bombers in the paris attacks, and salah abdeslam, 26, a fugitive believed to have been involved in the attacks but who slipped away amid the chaos.









nine people were arrested, including friends and family of hadfi, who blew himself up outside the stade de france north of paris during a soccer match between france and germany. he and six other assailants died in the series of attacks on multiple targets, which also included the bataclan concert hall and several restaurants and bars.









[islamic state is losing ground. will that mean more attacks overseas?]









michel, the belgian prime minister, asked parliament for new measures that would require immediate jailing for citizens returning from presumed militant activity in syria, where the islamic state has some of its main strongholds. under the request, those on terrorist watch lists <u+2014> about 800 residents in belgium currently <u+2014> would be forced to wear ankle bracelets to track their movements.









further proposed measures called for the deployment of 300 troops and more leeway in conducting house raids. michel also called for stronger border controls <u+2014> an appeal that highlights wider debates across the european union on how to reconcile its policies of control-free travel with demands to combat the islamic state and other militant factions.









some of the proposed rules, including mandatory registration of all passengers boarding high-speed trains and planes, would affect a significant portion of the population.









in brussels, a top magistrate, karel van cauwenberge, said he was concerned that the new measures could be abused by law enforcement. <u+201c>i understand in the fight against terrorism, people want to go far, but we still have to be cautious,<u+201d> he said. <u+201c>depriving people of their freedom for three days is extreme.<u+201d>









the e.u. planned an extraordinary meeting friday to focus on how to stem the traffic in firearms, much of it coming from the formerly <u+00ad>conflict-ridden balkans, and on setting common standards for deactivating old guns.









e.u. officials will also discuss ways to enable border police to check passports against a police database. another issue for the bloc is whether to allow security services to have access to passenger lists, as they do in the united states.









[will isis losses mean more attacks overseas?]









in germany, where the threat of a terrorist attack forced the cancellation of an international soccer match tuesday, politicians studied plans to deploy the army to aid the police and protect possible terrorist targets, including train stations and stadiums. the proposal was dividing the german government.









the police raid wednesday north of paris was in part a response to what french officials thought was a plan to stage a follow-up terrorist attack in la defense, a financial district northwest of paris, two police officials and an investigator close to the probe said. the officials spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief members of the media.









president obama, during a <u+00ad>visit to the philippines, spoke by phone with french president fran<u+00e7>ois hollande, the white house said. the two leaders plan to meet next week in washington to review strategies against the islamic state.









mekhennet reported from paris. annabell van den berghe in brussels, brian murphy in washington, david nakamura in manila, daniela deane in london, and anthony faiola, virgile demoustier, emily badger and karla adam in paris contributed to this report.









the long war against islamist extremism has become more complicated than ever









in a neighborhood under siege, <u+2018>it seemed like real war<u+2019>









suspected architect of paris attacks is dead, according to two senior intelligence officials
france, belgium move to tighten security; fbi said to warn of threat in italy
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