Belgian authorities arrested a fugitive suspect wanted in connection with the November Paris attacks; the suspect is also linked to the deadly bombings in Brussels last month.
Mohamed Abrini, 31, a Belgian of Moroccan descent arrested Friday, is believed to be the mysterious “man in the hat” who escaped the explosion at Brussels Zaventem airport.
If true, that would mean Abrini had a key role in both attacks carried out by an Islamic State cell that left a total of 162 people dead, 130 in Paris and 32 in Brussels, and scores of wounded.
Abrini was caught on film at a motorway service station en route to Paris shortly before the November 13 attacks in the company of another suspect, Salah Abdeslam, who is already in detention in Belgium.
He was the last identified suspect still at large from the November 13 attacks in Paris.
Belgian police arrested a second person, possibly linked to the deadly Brussels Maelbeek subway bombing during rush hour in the morning of March 22.
The Belgian federal prosecutor's office confirmed that “several arrests” were made Friday, but did not provide further information.