Mohamed Abrini, also known as “the man in the hat” in Brussels’ terrorist attack, has been cooperating with valuable intel British authorities from his captivity in Brussels. He has become the first ISIS supergrass ever to be cooperating with police officials.
A supergrass is a police informer who implicates other people in return for a less harsh sentence, immunity or a new identity. It is unknown which deal is taking Abrini or if the information that he has been giving is true.
Abrini has provided British officers with intelligence and insights on potential terrorist attacks in the country, as well with information about possible jihadists in the United Kingdom and their reach, as reported by the Sunday Times.
Belgian authorities have reportedly asked questions to the suspect on behalf of British police, due to Abrini is currently being held in Brussels and facing charges as well. British officials are afraid that as ISIS is taken out of Syria, its jihadis will scatter and head for British holiday spots where they can execute a terrorist attack, according to the Daily Star.
Abrini was arrested by Belgian authorities several months ago. According to local media, the 31-year-old was “more than likely” to be the man in the hat seen on the published security camera footage at Brussels airport on March 22, with the two suicide bombers. The incident took more than 30 lives.
The Belgian-Moroccan man had been on Europe’s most wanted list after his alleged actions in the Paris events, a reason as why France is interested in extraditing him. Abrini’s car, a Renault Clio, was used in the past November to drive some of the suspects to the Stade de France, one of the terrorist targets, as reported by Enfast.
However, some Abrini’s family members commented the 31-year-old was in Brussels at the night of the Paris attacks, even though he was spotted wandering into the subway an allegedly contacted one person in Paris.
Paris attacks suspect Abrini first to turn informer for British spies: Report: Mohamed Abrini, … https://t.co/LGdX0NGAHv #ParisAttacks
— Paris Attacks (@parisattacks) June 26, 2016
Extradition on hold
Abrini’s extradition to France, where he is a main suspect in the attacks that took more than 100 lives, has been put on hold by Brussels’ authorities handling his case. He appeared in an appeal court last week where a judge denied his bid to avoid extradition to France once again.
Even though the extradition will take place in a near future, this may take a while, Belgian prosecutors stated on Thursday. The extradition was granted for Abrini and Mohamed Bakkali, another Paris Attacks’ suspect under Belgium custody.
Bakkali, 29, allegedly rented the Brussels apartment where the suicide vests were assembled for the Paris attacks. This is the same place that another suspect named Salah Abdeslam used to hide for a time before his arrest, as reported by ST. Louis Today.
“No additional information will be given regarding further proceedings,” stated the Belgian Federal Prosecutor’s Office referring the Abrini’s appeal.
Source: Daily Mail