17h15 : the gunman was arrested

15h52 (in France) : Two hostages were released
15h49 : According to police sources, the kidnapper would have made a stay in a psychiatric hospital Gerard-Marchant
Four people have been taken hostage in a bank in the southern French city of Toulouse by a man claiming to be linked to al-Qaeda, police said. The man demanded to speak to the elite police unit that shot Islamist gunman Mohamed Merah. Officials said the gunman first demanded money. When he was refused, a shot was fired and hostages taken. There are no reports of injuries so far. The area around the bank has been cordoned off and a nearby school has been closed.