Four charged over Brussels attacks

By Catherine Hardy with AFP, Reuters

Published on 09/04/2016 - 15:54

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They include key Paris attacks suspect Mohammed Abrini.

Belgium charges four with terrorist offences relating to Brussels attacks
Police not sure Mohammed Abrini is the “man in the hat” from Brussels airport CCTV
Raids ongoing across the city

The latest

Belgium’s public prosecutor has charged four people in connection with the Brussels attacks.

It comes after officers hunting those behind the Paris and Brussels attacks made a number of arrests.

Mohammed Abrini is a childhood friend of the Paris prime suspect, Salah Abdeslam.

He has been charged with being a member of a terrorist organisation and terrorist murders.

Officers now say its not clear if he was involved in last month’s bombing at Brussels Airport.

A second man, identified as Osama K, has also been charged with terrorism offences.

Also known as Naim al Hamed, officials say he is on CCTV footage from just before the metro attack on March 22.

Rwandan national Herve B.M. and a fourth man, Bilal E. M. have also been charged with taking part in a terrorist organisation and terrorist murders.

Two other people detained on Friday together with Abrini were released after being questioned.

Key arrests on Friday

#BBC Amateur video shows the moment a terror suspect, believed to be Mohamed Abrini, was arrested in … https://t.co/swtr3HOgzY #ILoveRI
— TulisBagus (@tulisbagus) April 8, 2016

The Belgian security services have faced fierce criticism at home and abroad.

Brussels-based militants organised both sets of attacks.

Per capita, Belgium has the highest number of Islamist foreign fighters in Europe.

Mohammed Abrini

JUST IN: #ParisAttacks suspect Mohamed Abrini has been arrested, Belgian Federal Prosecutor's Office says. pic.twitter.com/jTd0JwBl2w
— NBC Nightly News (@NBCNightlyNews) April 8, 2016

31
Arrested in Anderlecht, Brussels
Belgian-Moroccan national
Suspected of helping to prepare Nov 13 attacks in Paris
Prosecutors now say it is not clear if he is the “man in the hat” seen on CCTV at Brussels Airport

Abrini is a childhood friend of the prime suspect of the Paris attacks, Salah Abdeslam.

He was identified on CCTV footage at a motorway service station driving with suspect Salah Abdeslam toward Paris from Belgium, two days before the November 13 attacks.

Osama K

2nd terror suspect arrested in Belgium named Osama Krayem; 'several arrests made' ~prosecutr https://t.co/JECPLUS7iY pic.twitter.com/rcqR1du0d0
— Yannis Koutsomitis (@YanniKouts) April 8, 2016