Charlie Hebdo: Paris attacker's widow living in Syria under Islamic State

Hayat Boumeddiene purportedly talks about life under IS in an interview published in the group's magazine

Hayat Boumeddiene, the supposed widow of the Paris Kosher market attacker Amedy Coulibaly, is living in parts of Syria which are controlled by the Islamic State (IS), a magazine run by the militant group claimed.

According to Time Magazine, the militant group published the magazine earlier in the week with a picture of the Eiffel tower on the cover and cursing France. Published in English and French languages, the magazine carried an interview purportedly with Boumeddiene.


Identified only as Coulibaly’s wife without giving her name, the Dar al-Islam interview includes a quote purportedly from Boumeddiene on life under IS rule.

She claims that Coulibaly had intended to join IS when the group proclaimed a Caliphate.

The publication is the first time that the group has formally conceded Boumeddiene's presence in territory that it controls. Neither the claim nor the veracity of the interview could be independently confirmed.

French authorities had launched a search for Boumeddiene after Coulibaly was taken down during the attack on the Jewish market in Paris on January 9. Coulibaly's attack had left four people dead.

Turkish officials, however, said that she had entered the country just days before the Paris attacks, and crossed into Syria on January 8.