French Hunt 2nd Fugitive Involved in Paris Attacks

French officials say they are seeking a second fugitive directly involved in the Paris attacks.

Three officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to provide details about the ongoing investigation, said an analysis of the series of attacks on Nov. 13 indicated that one person directly involved was unaccounted for.

Seven attackers died that night - three around the national stadium, three inside the Bataclan concert venue, and one at a restaurant nearby. A team of gunmen also opened fire at a series of nightspots in one of Paris' trendiest neighborhoods.

French and Belgian authorities have issued a warrant for one person, Salah Abdeslam, whose brother was among the attackers. The officials say the second fugitive has not been identified.

Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin is ordering a Russian missile cruiser in the Mediterranean to start cooperating with the French military on operations in Syria.

The statement came as Russia's defense minister said the country's warplanes had fired cruise missiles on militant positions in two Syrian provinces. The Islamic State group has positions in one of those provinces.

Russian officials earlier today confirmed that a homemade explosive device brought down a Russian passenger plane over Egypt last month. The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility.

The plane crash and Friday's terrorist attacks in Paris clearly have raised Russia's determination to fight the Islamic State. But there's still concern in the West that its Syria airstrikes are also targeting rebels who are opposed to Syrian President Bashar Assad but are not affiliated with radical groups.

And - French President Francois Hollande will travel to Washington and Moscow later this month to discuss ways of increasing international cooperation to smash the Islamic State group and settle the Syrian crisis.

A statement from Hollande's office says he will meet U.S. President Barack Obama on Nov. 24 and Vladimir Putin on Nov. 26.

Also - Iran's President Hassan Rouhani, in a phone conversation with his French counterpart, has called for greater international cooperation in combatting the Islamic State group.

Rouhani spoke to French President Francois Hollande on Tuesday, four days after attacks claimed by the IS group killed at least 129 people in Paris. Iran, which is helping local forces battle the IS group in neighboring Iraq, condemned the attacks.

A statement on Rouhani's website says he told Hollande that "eradicating terrorism from Syria and Iraq should be our first priority and we should consult and cooperate with each other in this area."

Germany's foreign minister says his country will not take part in any air attacks against the Islamic State group in Syria.

Frank-Walter Steinmeier said after talks with his Cypriot counterpart Tuesday that "it doesn't make sense if we add to the 16 nations which are carrying out air attacks" in Syria.

Steinmeier said Germany's decision to provide weapons and military equipment to Kurdish fighters battling IS in northern Iraq "was the right strategy" because they have not only held the front line there, but also made "slight territorial gains." (AP)