(CNN)The United States is now working on the assumption that Charlie Hebdo attacker Said Kouachi met American terrorist cleric Anwar al-Awlaki at some point in Yemen and received orders from al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) to carry out an attack, a U.S. official tells CNN. 

The official said Kouachi's motivation for waiting so long -- possibly since 2011 -- to launch an attack was not clear. 

U.S. officials Sunday said American authorities don't have evidence yet directly linking AQAP to specifically ordering the Paris attack last week at the offices of the satirical magaine. "We don't have credible information, at least as yet, to indicate who was responsible, who sponsored this act. That is clearly one of the things that we have to make a determination of," Attorney General Eric Holder told CNN's Gloria Borger on "State of the Union." 

French security agencies had been monitoring Said Kouachi and his brother, Cherif, but stopped months before the two carried out the attack that left 12 people dead. The French monitoring faded despite a previous tip-off from American intelligence agencies that one of them had likely trained with al Qaeda in Yemen, a French news magazine reported Saturday. 

Said Kouachi is suspected of slipping off for terror training in Yemen during a trip he made with another French national to Oman between July 25 and August 15 in 2011, according to multiple French officials who spoke to L'Express national security reporter Eric Pelletier. Pelletier shared the details of his reporting with CNN.  QUESTIONS:

Q1:
1. What does AQAP mean?
2. What is AQAP short for?
3. 
Q2:
1. Do American authorities have evidence that links AQAP to the Paris attack?
2. Are American authorities in possession of proof that ties AQAP to the attack in Paris?
3. 
Q3:
1. Who is suspected of committing the Paris attack?
2. Who is the alleged attacker of Charlie Hebdo?
3. 
Q4:
1. Where did Said Kouachi train?
2. Where did Said Kouachi learn to be a terrorist?
3. 
Q5:
1. When was Said Kouachi in Yemen?
2. During what dates was Said Kouachi in Yemen?
3. 
Q6:
1. Did anyone accompany Said Kouachi to Yemen?
2. Did Said Kouachi go to Yemen with anybody?
3. 
Q7:
1. What was the name of the person that accompanied Said Kouachi to Yemen?
2. Who did Said Kouachi go to Yemen with?
3. 
Q8:
1. Did Said Kouachi meet anyone in Yemen?
2. Was there anyone that Said Kouachi came across in Yemen?
3. 
Q9:
1. Who acquaintance did Said Kouachi make in Yemen?
2. What person did Said Kouachi meet in Yemen?
3. 
Q10:
1. Do authorities think that Anwar al-Awlak ordered the Paris attack?
2. Is it the belief of authorities that Anwar al-Awlak commandeered the attack?
3. 
Q11:
1. Who was the victim of a terrorist attack?
2. Who did Said Kouachi attack?
3. 
Q12:
1. Why did Said Kouachi wait so long to attack?
2. What took Said Kouachi to actually commit his act?
3. 
Q13:
1. Were authorities monitering Said Kouachi when the attack was carried out?
2. When Said Kouachi committed the attack, was he under surveillance?
3. 
Q14:
1. Were authorities monitering Said Kouachi before he committed the attack?
2. Was Said Kouachi under surveillance prior to his attack?
3. 
