国际英语新闻:Hollande urges national unity after Paris attacks to face terrorism

PARIS, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- French President Francois Hollande on Friday called on the French to stand in unity in face of racism and anti-semitism after two shootings and one hostage-taking claimed by Islamist gunmen in Paris, leaving 17 victims.

"I call for unity. It's our best arm, we must show determination to face all what could divide us," Hollande said.

In a short national address, the French head of state stressed the country should be "implacable" in the face of racism and anti-semitism.

"These madmen, fanatics, have nothing to do with the Muslim religion," Hollande said.

In a move to support the national unity and reinforce solidarity in face of terror threats, an all-party "republican-march" is due on Sunday.

Hollande is said to take part in the rally along his main European partners including David Cameroon, British Prime Minsiter, Angela Merkel, German Chancellor, Italian Prime minister Matteo Renzi, Spanish Prime Minster Mariano Rajoy and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker.

Left-wing parties, including Hollande's Socialists, the Communist Party and the Greens, have already declared their participation in the rally.

"It is indeed an appalling anti-semitic act that was committed," Hollande added, referring to the hostage-taking by a gunman at the Hyper Cacher supermarket at Porte de Vincennes, east Paris.

He also confirmed the death of four hostages along with the gunman during the assault.

Identified as Amedy Coulibaly, 32 years old, the supermarket gunman claimed links with the Islamic State in a pre-recorded interview with the news channel BFMTV.

He said he coordinated with Kouachi brothers who are the only suspects of a deadly attack on the headquarters of French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo on Wednesday.

Cherif, one of the shooters at the weekly, had previously been trialed on terrorism charges and served 18 months in prison.

He was charged with criminal association related to a terrorist enterprise in 2005. He had been part of an Islamist cell that enlisted French nationals from a mosque in eastern Paris to go to Iraq to fight Americans in Iraq. He was arrested before leaving for Iraq to join militants.

He told BFMTV news channel, before police assault, he was funded by Al-Qaeda Yemen.

In two simultaneous siege in northeast of Paris and at a Jewish supermarket in the capital, the three Islamist gunmen were killed, ending three-day of wide manhunt during which 88,000 gendarmes and policemen have been deployed across France.

But, Hollande warned that the danger to France was not over yet, urging high vigilance.

Since Wednesday, due to Charlie Hebdo attack and Montrouge shooting, France raised its Vigipirate security plan to attack alert, the highest level in Ile-de-France and all region of Picardie where police patrols and security were reinforced at public places including major stores, religious centers and public transport.