As French prime minister defends security failure.
Jacques Demarthon, AFP / Getty Images
French authorities say they have no proof that Mohamed Merah was connected to al Qaeda, speculating that he might have the claim in attempt to be associated with a well-known "brand." Earlier on Friday, French Prime Minister François Fillon defended reports of security failures in the handling of Merah, who had been under surveillance in November but was never arrested. "We don't have the right in a country like ours to permanently monitor without judicial authorization someone who hasn't committed an offense," Fillon told French radio. Merah was killed in a firefight Thursday morning after a 32-hour standoff in Toulouse.
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