Man Linked to Charlie Hebdo Killers Arrested in Bulgaria; Possible Threat to US Ahead?

By Sami K. Martin, Christian Post Reporter Tuesday, January 13, 2015

People hold panels to create the eyes of late Charlie Hebdo editor Stephane Charbonnier, known as 'Charb', as hundreds of thousands of French citizens take part in a solidarity march (Marche Republicaine) in the streets of Paris January 11, 2015. French citizens will be joined by dozens of foreign leaders, among them Arab and Muslim representatives, in a march on Sunday in an unprecedented tribute to this week's victims following the shootings by gunmen at the offices of the satirical weekly newspaper Charlie Hebdo, the killing of a police woman in Montrouge, and the hostage taking at a kosher supermarket at the Porte de Vincennes. — People hold panels to create the eyes of late Charlie Hebdo editor Stephane Charbonnier, known as "Charb", as hundreds of thousands of French citizens take part in a solidarity march (Marche Republicaine) in the streets of Paris January 11, 2015. French citizens will be joined by dozens of foreign leaders, among them Arab and Muslim representatives, in a march on Sunday in an unprecedented tribute to this week's victims following the shootings by gunmen at the offices of the satirical weekly newspaper Charlie Hebdo, the killing of a police woman in Montrouge, and the hostage taking at a kosher supermarket at the Porte de Vincennes. | (Photo: Reuters/Charles Platiau)

A man believed to be linked to the Charlie Hebdo massacre in Paris last week has been arrested in Bulgaria, officials announced today.

Prosecutor Darina Slavova told ABC News that Fritz-Joly Joachim, 29, was arrested on Jan. 1 for allegedly trying to smuggle his 3-year-old son into Syria. Joachim is believed to be part of a terrorist criminal group and had been in communication with Cherif Kouachi, one of the Charlie Hebdo killers, before his attempt to enter Syria. He was arrested in Bulgaria for allegedly kidnapping his son, and a background check showed his association with the terrorist group.

Joachim converted to Islam 15 years ago and reportedly became radicalized just two years ago. He resides in Bobigny, a suburb of Paris and is expected to be extradited to France, where he will likely face charges in association with the massacre that saw 12 people initially murdered before the Kouachi brothers were taken down by police after a standoff.

Two other suspects, Amedy Coulibaly and his wife Hayat Boumeddiene, then murdered a police officer and eventually took several people hostage in a kosher grocery store before Coulibaly was killed by police. Five hostages were killed in the grocery store standoff.

Boumeddiene was able to escape to Turkey before the attacks took place, and she later crossed the border into Syria. It's unknown if authorities will pursue her in the country or exactly what role she may have played in the attacks in Paris.

Officials in the United States have placed new security restrictions to hopefully prevent further attacks and possible airplane bombings.

"This group, AQAP, is absolutely determined … to try to [carry] out an attack on a U.S.-bound airplane," Matt Olsen, former head of the National Counterterrorism Center and ABC News consultant said of al Qaeda's Yemen affiliate, which is the branch that the Kouachi brothers belonged to and likely received training from before carrying out their attacks.