DHAKA: France prime minister Manuel Valls warned of an attack using ‘chemical or biological weapons’ as MPs extended the state of emergency security measures in a parliamentary vote after last week’s deadly violence in Paris.

‘We must not rule anything out, there is also the risk from chemical or biological weapons,’ Manuel Valls said on Thursday, though he did not cite any specific intelligence on such a threat, reports Al Jazeera.

In a speech to parliament, French President Francois Hollande asked representatives to extend the country’s state of emergency for three more months.

Emergency powers allow police arrests without warrants and the ability to close public venues.

The prime minister can order people deemed ‘threats to national security’ held under house arrest, and the seizure of passports or national identification cards.

‘This bill will also encourage the closing of mosques if they become too radical,’ Valls said. ‘This bill is the answer for the right of a free country facing chaos.’

Meanwhile, investigations continued to determine the fate of the suspected planner of the Paris attacks after a raid on a French apartment block on Wednesday allegedly neutralized an Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant cell planning more strikes.

The fate of key suspect Abdelhamid Abaaoud, a Belgian national, remains unclear. Some reports suggested he was the target of the operation.

Another alleged attacker, Salah Abdeslam, is also on the run.

BDST: 1850 HRS, Nov 19, 2015
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