Salah Abdeslam, 26, one of the three brothers involved in the Paris attacks has been arrested in an operation in ongoing operation in Molenbeek. However, word from a Belgian prosecutor says that Salah has not yet been arrested so reports are still coming in.
The confusion came as police launched another major raid in the poor, mainly immigrant Brussels suburb of Molenbeek – the scene of several arrests since Saturday. One of Abdelslam’s brothers is said to have been detained earlier.
Another man was arrested there on Monday but officials said it was not Salah Abdeslam. They are however continuing to look for him there.
A third brother, Ibrahim, is one of 5 identified suicide bombers and gunmen who took part in Friday’s killing of 129 people at bars, restaurants, a football stadium and a concert hall in the French capital. Seven attackers in total died at the scene. It is feared others may have fled.
French police are looking for an eighth suspect in the Paris attacks, Salah Abdeslam, 26 https://t.co/UZXIWGSZSz pic.twitter.com/nDoC7vkOwh
— TIME (@TIME) November 15, 2015
A Belgian national who is currently in Syria is suspected of being behind the massacres, according to a source close to the French investigation.
“He appears to be the brains behind several planned attacks in Europe,” the source told Reuters, adding that the man, Abdelhamid Abaaoud, was the investigators’ best lead.
According to RTL Radio, Abaaoud is 27-years-old and is also from the Molenbeek suburb of Brussels.
BREAKING: Photos from Video footage of Salah Abdeslam in #Paris on the day of the #Parisattacks, he is seen smilingpic.twitter.com/qgafi2HiAP
— Rob S (@RobPulseNews) November 16, 2015
Agencies/Canadajournal