Washington, Nov 18 (EFE).– The alleged mastermind behind the jihadist terrorist attacks in Paris last week died in the massive police operation undertaken Wednesday in the French capital, The Washington Post reported.

The daily, citing two top European intelligence officials, said that investigators had determined that the head of the terrorist strike group had holed up in an apartment building in Saint-Denis that was the target of the police operation and that he was preparing new attacks.

Belgian national Abdelhamid Abaaoud had been identified by French authorities as the mastermind behind the attacks and they had reported that he was not among those arrested on Wednesday during the operation undertaken by more than 100 police and soldiers.

Paris prosecutor François Molins, however, did not confirm whether Abaaoud was one of at least two terrorists who died in the Saint-Denis apartment.

Confirmation of the terrorist’s identity was obtained after forensic experts combed the site of the operation, presumably seeking DNA evidence, The Post said, adding that its sources asked that their anonymity be respected until authorities confirmed Abaaoud’s death.

The death of Abaaoud, The Post reported, ends a huge international police dragnet seeking him after the attacks last Friday, which killed 129 and wounded more than 350 with bomb attacks near a stadium where a soccer match was being played, a concert hall where a concert was under way, and assorted restaurants and bars.

Belgium’s De Standaard newspaper also reported that Abaaoud had died on Wednesday in the anti-terrorist operation in Saint-Denis, citing Belgian security sources. EFE