Four people have been taken hostage in a bank in the French city of Toulouse by a man claiming to be linked to Al Qaeda, police say. Details to follow.

Reports suggest the man fired one shot from a gun and demanded to speak to the elite police unit responsible for shooting down Islamist gunman Mohamed Merah in March.


The director of the CIC bank is said to be among the hostages.


The official says no one has been reported hurt so far.


The neighborhood around the bank has been cordoned off.

Toulouse has already seen a rampage against a Jewish school in March.


Islamist gunman Mohamed Merah then killed seven people, including three children, before being shot dead by police.http://www.rt.com/news/self-proclaimed-al-quaeda-takes-toulouse-279/