Suspect in November Paris massacre charged over shootout that took place a week before twin suicide attacks in Belgian capital
The Paris attacks suspect Salah Abdeslam has been charged over a deadly shootout with police in Brussels a week before twin suicide bombings in the Belgian capital, his lawyer has said.
“He has been charged with attempted murder either alone or jointly” over the gun battle at an apartment in the Forest district of Brussels on 15 March, said lawyer Sven Mary.
An Algerian suspect was killed and four police officers were wounded in the shootout, which led to Abdeslam’s arrest three days later in the Molenbeek area of Brussels after a four-month European manhunt.
Abdeslam, 26, is due to be extradited to France in the coming days over the November Paris attacks. He is believed to be the last surviving member of the terror squad that killed 130 people.
Belgian police have tried to question him over his links to the three suicide bombers who struck Brussels airport and metro on 22 March, killing 32 people and injuring hundreds. Islamic State has claimed both attacks.
Asked whether Abdeslam had admitted being present at the Forest shootout, Mary said: “We won’t discuss that, I won’t comment.”
Abdeslam will appear before a Belgian court again on 28 April and his extradition to France will come “perhaps two days after his court appearance”, Mary added.
Abdeslam and his alleged Paris accomplice Mohamed Abrini, who has also been charged over the Brussels attacks, were moved to different jails in Belgium last week.
Abrini, 31, has confessed to being “the man in the hat” caught on video with suicide bombers at Brussels airport. Abrini was also linked to the 13 November Paris massacre after being caught on video at a motorway petrol station with Abdeslam.
Source : The Guardian