French Gunman Siege Site: Explosions Heard as the stand-off Continues

Explosions have been heard outside an apartment in Toulouse as French police sought to end a 24-hour siege involving a gunman accused of killing seven people.

Self-declared al Qaeda militant Mohammed Merah has been holed up in the ground floor property since the early hours of Wednesday.

Negotiations have continued all day but Merah reportedly said he would surrender at night "to be more discreet".

Deputy mayor of Toulouse had said an assault on the building had begun - a claim then denied by interior ministry official Pierre-Henry Brandet.

Mr Brandet said: "They were moves to intimidate the gunman who seems to have changed his mind and does not want to surrender. There is no assault." Read More