Brussels – As the recently arrested men, Mohamed Abrini and Osama Krayem were charged for their role in the terrorist attacks in Brussels and Paris, the main suspects in the events are dead or officially in custody.
However, Prime Minister Charles Michel assured that even though they are positive about the recent developments in the investigation, he warned that further threats to Europe are still alive. Authorities know they have to stay alert, he said in a news conference.
With Abrini’s confession, where he confirmed that he was in fact “the man in the hat” shown in the Brussels airport’s security camera footage with two suicide bombers, the two latest terrorist events in Europe were officially linked.
Abrini allegedly had a role in the November attacks. His car, a Renault Clio, was used in the Paris events to drive some of the suspects to the Stade de France, which later detonated bombs near the area, as reported by Enfast.
Family members assured the 31-year-old was in Brussels the night of the Paris attacks, even though he was later spotted wandering into the subway an allegedly contacted one person in the city.
The Belgian-Moroccan man was arrested with Osama Krayen, who is also under investigations for his role on both of the terrorist events, but has not been so publicly well-known as Abrini.
Prosecutors added that they had confirmed that the second fugitive in Brussels seized separately on Friday was indeed the man seen with a third suicide bomber on March 22, who struck shortly afterward on the city’s metro, as reported by Reuters
Both of the recently arrested suspects had a connection with the prime surviving Paris suspect Salah Abdeslam, also held in custody. Krayem is thought to have come to Europe through the Greek island of Leros, among hundreds of refugees from the war zones nations.
Authorities under pressure
Belgian authorities have been under a lot of pressure, both local and international after it was determined that Paris attacks were planned in the country by local men, known by the police and possible the recipients of orders and funds from Syria.
The arrests came a few days after the police released new images and details about the man in the hat. The information revealed that the man, who was confirmed to be Abrini, was caught on camera leaving the airport in Zaventem and then heading west into the Brussels district of Schaerbeek, about two hours after the bombings.
Source: Reuters