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| Belgian police renew appeals for tips into ‘man in white’ bomb suspect | Belgian police renew appeals for tips into ‘man in white’ bomb suspect |
| (about 11 hours later) | |
| BRUSSELS — Belgian police released new surveillance video Monday and issued a fresh call for help to identify “the man in white,” one of three attackers at Brussels Airport and the only one believed to have survived last week’s terrorist bombings. | |
| The appeal came after investigators freed a suspect taken into custody and initially charged with participating in a terrorist attack. | The appeal came after investigators freed a suspect taken into custody and initially charged with participating in a terrorist attack. |
| But the man, Fayçal Cheffou — who resembles the attacker shown in the airport surveillance image and was identified by a taxi driver who took the attackers to the airport — refused to answer questions, and there was not enough evidence to hold him, the prosecutor’s office said. Prosecutors will decide later in the investigation whether to proceed with any charges against him, officials said. | But the man, Fayçal Cheffou — who resembles the attacker shown in the airport surveillance image and was identified by a taxi driver who took the attackers to the airport — refused to answer questions, and there was not enough evidence to hold him, the prosecutor’s office said. Prosecutors will decide later in the investigation whether to proceed with any charges against him, officials said. |
| The release of Cheffou, who in the past has publicly promoted extreme Islamist beliefs in Brussels, reopened the manhunt for the “man in white” and raised further questions about the extent of the network behind last week’s bloodshed. | The release of Cheffou, who in the past has publicly promoted extreme Islamist beliefs in Brussels, reopened the manhunt for the “man in white” and raised further questions about the extent of the network behind last week’s bloodshed. |
| [How Belgian prisons feed militant ranks] | [How Belgian prisons feed militant ranks] |
| In the video, the third airport attacker is shown in a dark floppy hat, glasses, a goatee and a white jacket pushing a luggage cart with a black suitcase on it shortly before two bombs exploded March 22. A photo from the video was made public shortly after the attacks, but the video gives a slightly better view. | |
| One bomb — believed to be the one wheeled by the man — did not detonate in last Tuesday’s carnage, which began at the airport and was followed by a suicide blast in a busy subway station. | |
| Meanwhile, police across Europe widened anti-terrorism crackdowns as prosecutors in Belgium charged three other people suspected of having links to militant networks, adding further to signs that the multi-nation probes were moving rapidly beyond the bombings in Brussels. | Meanwhile, police across Europe widened anti-terrorism crackdowns as prosecutors in Belgium charged three other people suspected of having links to militant networks, adding further to signs that the multi-nation probes were moving rapidly beyond the bombings in Brussels. |
| Yet even as the authorities chased new leads, there was still more reckoning from the Brussels attacks claimed by the Islamic State. | Yet even as the authorities chased new leads, there was still more reckoning from the Brussels attacks claimed by the Islamic State. |
| Belgium’s health minister raised the death toll to 35, not counting three suicide bombers. About 300 people were injured, and 96 remain hospitalized, according to the Belgium Crisis Center. | Belgium’s health minister raised the death toll to 35, not counting three suicide bombers. About 300 people were injured, and 96 remain hospitalized, according to the Belgium Crisis Center. |
| Nearly half of those killed were foreign nationals, including at least four Americans. The Belgian Foreign Ministry said not all of the wounded have been identified because some remain comatose. | Nearly half of those killed were foreign nationals, including at least four Americans. The Belgian Foreign Ministry said not all of the wounded have been identified because some remain comatose. |
| If it passes certain tests on Tuesday, on Wednesday the Brussels airport could reopen but at no more than 16 percent of capacity, officials said. | |
| Also, Belgian police said they are looking as many as eight people, including Mohamed Abrini and Naim el Hamed, a 28-year-old Syrian. | |
| In Brussels, the federal prosecutor identified the three people, who were charged with participation in the activities of a terrorist group, only as Yassine A., Mohamed B. and Aboubaker O. They were among nine people detained Sunday morning by police for questioning; the rest were released. | In Brussels, the federal prosecutor identified the three people, who were charged with participation in the activities of a terrorist group, only as Yassine A., Mohamed B. and Aboubaker O. They were among nine people detained Sunday morning by police for questioning; the rest were released. |
| It was not immediately clear whether the latest suspects played roles in planning the suicide blasts at Brussels Airport and a metro station. But the police sweeps across the European Union appeared aimed at heading off possible new attacks. | It was not immediately clear whether the latest suspects played roles in planning the suicide blasts at Brussels Airport and a metro station. But the police sweeps across the European Union appeared aimed at heading off possible new attacks. |
| [Security forces missed chances before the Brussels attacks] | [Security forces missed chances before the Brussels attacks] |
| The raids and arrests added to a picture of multinational networks reaching far beyond the Islamic State strongholds in Iraq and Syria, where the group recently has suffered setbacks. | The raids and arrests added to a picture of multinational networks reaching far beyond the Islamic State strongholds in Iraq and Syria, where the group recently has suffered setbacks. |
| On Monday, Dutch police said they arrested three other men allegedly linked to terrorism planning. A day earlier, Dutch authorities captured a 32-year-old French citizen in Rotterdam who was suspected of having ties to an apparent foiled attack in France last week. They gave his name only as Anis B. | On Monday, Dutch police said they arrested three other men allegedly linked to terrorism planning. A day earlier, Dutch authorities captured a 32-year-old French citizen in Rotterdam who was suspected of having ties to an apparent foiled attack in France last week. They gave his name only as Anis B. |
| Wim de Bruin, a spokesman for the Dutch prosecutor’s office, said in an interview that police found mobile phones, SIM cards, ammunition, money and drugs when they captured him. | Wim de Bruin, a spokesman for the Dutch prosecutor’s office, said in an interview that police found mobile phones, SIM cards, ammunition, money and drugs when they captured him. |
| Dutch police said two of the three other detained men, ages 43 and 47, were of Algerian origin. No information was released about the third suspect. De Bruin said none of them would be extradited to France. | Dutch police said two of the three other detained men, ages 43 and 47, were of Algerian origin. No information was released about the third suspect. De Bruin said none of them would be extradited to France. |
| Italian police, meanwhile, were holding Djamal Eddine Ouali, a 40-year-old Algerian suspected of providing false documents to the Islamic State militants behind the attacks in Paris and Brussels. He was arrested over the weekend. | Italian police, meanwhile, were holding Djamal Eddine Ouali, a 40-year-old Algerian suspected of providing false documents to the Islamic State militants behind the attacks in Paris and Brussels. He was arrested over the weekend. |
| [VIDEO: Protesters disrupt memorial to bombing victims] | [VIDEO: Protesters disrupt memorial to bombing victims] |
| In central Brussels, tensions that marred a memorial event Sunday threatened to recur. | In central Brussels, tensions that marred a memorial event Sunday threatened to recur. |
| On Monday, a group called Identity Generation spread fliers calling for a demonstration with the slogan “Expel the Islamists” on Saturday in Molenbeek, an overwhelmingly Muslim middle-class neighborhood in Brussels and a hub for some of the suspected plotters in last year’s Paris attacks. | On Monday, a group called Identity Generation spread fliers calling for a demonstration with the slogan “Expel the Islamists” on Saturday in Molenbeek, an overwhelmingly Muslim middle-class neighborhood in Brussels and a hub for some of the suspected plotters in last year’s Paris attacks. |
| Annabell Van den Berghe and Souad Mekhennet in Brussels and Brian Murphy in Washington contributed to this report. | Annabell Van den Berghe and Souad Mekhennet in Brussels and Brian Murphy in Washington contributed to this report. |
| Read more | Read more |
| European clampdowns choke off migrants flow | European clampdowns choke off migrants flow |