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Probe into Brussels bombings expands across Europe Probe into Brussels bombings expands across Europe
(35 minutes later)
BRUSSELS — The investigation into last week’s deadly attacks in Brussels extended farther across Europe on Sunday after Italian police arrested a new suspect believed to have helped Islamic State militants slip into Western Europe unnoticed. BRUSSELS — The investigation into last week’s deadly attacks in Brussels extended farther across Europe on Sunday after Italian police arrested a new suspect thought to have helped Islamic State militants slip into Western Europe unnoticed.
Italian police said late Saturday they had arrested an Algerian man suspected of providing several Islamic State supporters with false identification documents, allowing them to evade authorities as they laid plans for attacks in Belgium and France. Italian police said late Saturday that they had arrested an Algerian man suspected of providing several Islamic State supporters with false identification documents, allowing them to evade authorities as they plotted attacks in Belgium and France.
“The Algerian arrested today in Salerno is part of a network of forgers of residency” documents, police said in a message on Twitter.“The Algerian arrested today in Salerno is part of a network of forgers of residency” documents, police said in a message on Twitter.
According to Italian news agency ANSA, 40-year-old Djamal Eddine Ouali had been the subject of a Belgian arrest warrant since January. ANSA said he was believed to have given the falsified papers to Salah Abdeslam, arrested this month in Belgium for involvement in the Nov. 13 Paris attacks; Najim Laachraoui, believed to have been one of the men who detonated a suicide package Tuesday at the Brussels airport; and another man killed by Belgian authorities in a raid this month. According to the Italian news agency ANSA, 40-year-old Djamal Eddine Ouali had been the subject of a Belgian arrest warrant since January. ANSA said he was suspected to have given the falsified papers to Salah Abdeslam, arrested this month in Belgium on suspicion of involvement in the Nov. 13 Paris attacks; Najim Laachraoui, believed to have been one of the suicide bombers on Tuesday at the Brussels airport; and another man killed by Belgian authorities in a raid this month.
Belgian police could not immediately provide additional details Sunday. Belgian police did not provide additional details on Sunday.
The arrest may provide investigators additional clues about how an increasingly complex militant network pulled off the devastating attacks that killed 130 people last year in Paris and, on March 22, left at least 31 more dead in suicide bombings in the Brussels airport and subway. The arrest may offer investigators additional clues about how an increasingly complex militant network pulled off the devastating attacks that killed 130 people last year in Paris and left at least 31 more dead in the Brussels airport and subway on Tuesday.
Belgian authorities charged another person believed to be linked to the attacks, local media reported on Sunday. The man, identified as Abderrahmane A., has been in police custody since Friday and was charged with participation in a terrorist organization. Belgian authorities extended their hunt for new clues on Sunday, conducting 13 searches in Brussels and other areas, the federal prosecutor’s office said. Four people remain in custody.
The growing list of arrests may help ease tensions across a city that remains on edge five days after Belgium’s worst attacks since World War II. On Saturday, Belgian authorities called for a planned solidarity rally in Brussels to be postponed because, they acknowledged, they could not provide adequate security. Authorities have also charged another person believed to be linked to the attacks, local media reported Sunday. The man, identified as Abderrahmane A., has been in custody since Friday and was charged with participation in a terrorist organization.
Brussels remained largely quiet Sunday as majority Catholic Belgium marked the Easter holiday. At the Vatican, Pope Francis used his Easter address to label terrorism a “blind and brutal form of violence,” according to the Associated Press. In a sign of anxiety about attacks across the continent, worshipers were subject to tight security as they flocked to St. Peter’s Square in Rome. The growing list of arrests may help ease tensions across a country that remains on edge even as largely Catholic Belgians mark Easter Sunday. On Saturday, authorities called for a planned solidarity rally in Brussels to be postponed because, they acknowledged, they could not provide adequate security.
In Iraq and Syria, the Islamic State remains defiant even as it faces pressure from the United States and its allies from the air, and from forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on the ground. On Saturday, Syria claimed to have recaptured the historic city of Palmyra, under Islamic State control for months. At the site of a memorial to bombing victims in central Brussels, riot police with shields and helmets arrived Sunday after a crowd formed that appeared to be more rowdy than the mourners who have gathered in recent days.
At the Vatican, Pope Francis used his Easter address to label terrorism a “blind and brutal form of violence,” according to the Associated Press. In a sign of anxiety about attacks across the continent, worshipers were subject to tight security as they flocked to St. Peter’s Square.
In Iraq and Syria, the Islamic State remains defiant even as it faces pressure from the United States and its allies from the air and from forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on the ground. On Saturday, Syria claimed to have recaptured the historic city of Palmyra, under Islamic State control for months.
[Security forces missed chances before the Brussels attacks][Security forces missed chances before the Brussels attacks]
Over the weekend, militants continued to celebrate attacks that they said demonstrated the weakness of western defenses. In a video released Saturday, a Dutch-speaking fighter, identified as Abu Hanifa al-Beljiki, addressed the government of Belgium. Over the weekend, militants continued to celebrate attacks that they said demonstrated the weakness of Western defenses. In a video released Saturday, a Dutch-speaking fighter, identified as Abu Hanifa al-Beljiki, addressed the government of Belgium.
“You learned nothing from the lessons of Paris, because you continued fighting Islam and the Muslims,” he said, according to a transcript from SITE Intelligence. “For this I want to tell you that the attack in Brussels is reaping what you had sown with your own hands.” “You learned nothing from the lessons of Paris, because you continued fighting Islam and the Muslims,” he said, according to a transcript from the SITE Intelligence Group. “For this I want to tell you that the attack in Brussels is reaping what you had sown with your own hands.”
The video followed Belgian authorities’ announcement Saturday that they may have found the most-wanted remaining suspect in Tuesday’s attacks. It was a welcome development for the government in Brussels, facing widespread criticism for failing to chase down leads that might have helped prevent such attacks. The video followed Belgian authorities’ announcement Saturday that they may have found the most-wanted remaining suspect in Tuesday’s attacks. It was a welcome development for the government in Brussels, facing widespread criticism over its failure to chase down leads that might have helped prevent such attacks.
On Sunday, Interior Minister Jan Jambon defended to local media the government’s decision-making during last week’s Islamic State attacks. He has come under fire from critics for failing to protect Brussels after the initial attack at the airport. A little over an hour passed between that assault and the bombing on the subway. On Sunday, Interior Minister Jan Jambon defended to local media the government’s decision-making during last week’s attacks. He has come under fire for failing to protect Brussels after the initial attack at the airport. A little over an hour passed between that assault and the bombing on the subway.
Authorities said Saturday that a man identified by a European official as Fayçal Cheffou could be the third attacker at the Brussels airport. It’s believed that his explosive-laden suitcase did not go off. Authorities said Saturday that a man identified by a European official as Fayçal Cheffou could be the third attacker at the Brussels airport. It’s believed that his explosives-laden suitcase did not go off.
The arrested man appeared before a judge after he was detained Thursday night while sitting in a car in front of the Belgian prosecutor’s office. He was charged with “participation in the activities of a terrorist group, terrorist murders and attempted terrorist murders.”The arrested man appeared before a judge after he was detained Thursday night while sitting in a car in front of the Belgian prosecutor’s office. He was charged with “participation in the activities of a terrorist group, terrorist murders and attempted terrorist murders.”
A spokesman for the federal prosecutor’s office, Eric Van der Sypt, confirmed that the man identified by his office only as “Fayçal C.” was being investigated as the possible third airport attacker. But he said the link “cannot be confirmed yet.”A spokesman for the federal prosecutor’s office, Eric Van der Sypt, confirmed that the man identified by his office only as “Fayçal C.” was being investigated as the possible third airport attacker. But he said the link “cannot be confirmed yet.”
“We have to be 100 percent sure,” he said. “These are very heavy charges.”“We have to be 100 percent sure,” he said. “These are very heavy charges.”
Belgium’s Le Soir newspaper reported that Cheffou was third airport attacker, citing an unidentified source who said that a taxi driver who took the attackers to the airport the morning of the bombings positively identified him.Belgium’s Le Soir newspaper reported that Cheffou was third airport attacker, citing an unidentified source who said that a taxi driver who took the attackers to the airport the morning of the bombings positively identified him.
Belgian media reported that Cheffou has in the past identified himself as “an independent journalist” and has a history of advocacy on behalf of radical Islamist causes. He was reportedly once arrested for trying to recruit refugees in a public park and later received an order to stay away.Belgian media reported that Cheffou has in the past identified himself as “an independent journalist” and has a history of advocacy on behalf of radical Islamist causes. He was reportedly once arrested for trying to recruit refugees in a public park and later received an order to stay away.
The website of Flanders News posted a video that it said featured Cheffou reporting in front of an asylum center, where he tells viewers that mealtimes for detainees were not altered to account for Ramadan, when Muslims fast during daylight hours. “This goes against human rights,” he says in the video. The prosecutor’s announcement comes just a day after investigators revealed that they may have missed a crucial opportunity to disrupt plans for the Tuesday killings. In the days before the attacks, investigators were questioning Abdeslam. He had been arrested in Brussels only four days before the Belgium attackers struck.
The prosecutor’s announcement comes just a day after investigators revealed that they may have missed a crucial opportunity to disrupt plans for the Tuesday killings. In the days before the attacks, investigators were questioning Abdeslam, the last living direct participant in November’s Paris terrorist attacks. He had been arrested in Brussels only four days before the Belgium attackers struck.
But the investigators focused their inquiries on the Paris attacks and on the procedures for extradition rather than press ­Abdeslam on plans for future strikes.But the investigators focused their inquiries on the Paris attacks and on the procedures for extradition rather than press ­Abdeslam on plans for future strikes.
French newspaper Le Monde published in Saturday’s edition what it claimed were excerpts from a transcript of prosecutors’ questioning of Abdeslam. At one point, they show him photos of the two brothers who days later would attack the Brussels airport and subway, Ibrahim and Khalid el-Bakraoui.French newspaper Le Monde published in Saturday’s edition what it claimed were excerpts from a transcript of prosecutors’ questioning of Abdeslam. At one point, they show him photos of the two brothers who days later would attack the Brussels airport and subway, Ibrahim and Khalid el-Bakraoui.
“I did not know them,” Abdeslam replies, according to Le Monde. The prosecutors move on, even though they had already uncovered Abdeslam’s fingerprints in an apartment rented by Khalid el-Bakraoui. “I did not know them,” Abdeslam replies, according to Le Monde. The prosecutors move on, even though they had already found Abdeslam’s fingerprints in an apartment rented by Khalid el-Bakraoui.
In addition to Cheffou, two others were also charged Saturday with terrorism-related offenses, though they were not directly linked to Tuesday’s attack. In addition to Cheffou, two others were charged Saturday with terrorism-related offenses, though they were not directly linked to Tuesday’s attack.
[The Islamic State is on the retreat on multiple fronts][The Islamic State is on the retreat on multiple fronts]
Prosecutors said they charged a man identified as “Rabah N.” with “participating in the activities of a terrorist group” in connection with a Thursday raid in the Paris suburb of Argenteuil that French leaders say foiled an imminent attack on France.Prosecutors said they charged a man identified as “Rabah N.” with “participating in the activities of a terrorist group” in connection with a Thursday raid in the Paris suburb of Argenteuil that French leaders say foiled an imminent attack on France.
Belgian news outlets reported that a man named Abderrahman Ameroud, presumably the same that was charged on Sunday, was another person connected to the plot. Ameroud, an Algerian, was sentenced in 2005 in France to seven years in prison for recruiting jihadists to fight in Afghanistan as part of a case tied to the 2001 assassination of anti-Taliban leader Ahmed Shah Massoud. Belgian news outlets reported that a man named Abderrahman Ameroud, presumably the same who was charged Sunday, was another person connected to the plot. Ameroud, an Algerian, was sentenced in 2005 in France to seven years in prison for recruiting jihadists to fight in Afghanistan as part of a case tied to the 2001 assassination of anti-Taliban leader Ahmed Shah Massoud.
Another man, identified as “Aboubakar A.,” was arrested and charged Saturday with a terrorism-related offense. But prosecutors did not specify whether he was involved with one of the known plots.Another man, identified as “Aboubakar A.,” was arrested and charged Saturday with a terrorism-related offense. But prosecutors did not specify whether he was involved with one of the known plots.
[Families still in desperate wait for news after attacks][Families still in desperate wait for news after attacks]
Belgium’s federal crisis center increased its estimate of the number of wounded to 340 on Saturday, and it said 27 of the 31 thought to be dead had been identified. Nearly half of the victims were foreign, and they came from eight countries, the center said.Belgium’s federal crisis center increased its estimate of the number of wounded to 340 on Saturday, and it said 27 of the 31 thought to be dead had been identified. Nearly half of the victims were foreign, and they came from eight countries, the center said.
A U.S. official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the status of Americans overseas, said that about a dozen U.S. citizens were wounded in the attacks. At least two Americans were killed.A U.S. official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the status of Americans overseas, said that about a dozen U.S. citizens were wounded in the attacks. At least two Americans were killed.
Annabell Van den Berghe contributed to this report.Annabell Van den Berghe contributed to this report.
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