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| Paris attacks suspect Abdeslam cleared for France extradition | Paris attacks suspect Abdeslam cleared for France extradition |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A court in Brussels has decided to allow the extradition to France of Salah Abdeslam, a suspect in last November's Paris attacks. | A court in Brussels has decided to allow the extradition to France of Salah Abdeslam, a suspect in last November's Paris attacks. |
| Abdeslam, who was arrested earlier this month in central Brussels, had earlier agreed to be transferred. | Abdeslam, who was arrested earlier this month in central Brussels, had earlier agreed to be transferred. |
| The 26-year-old was detained after apparently hiding in the Belgian capital for more than four months. | |
| His arrest, in a dramatic police operation, came four days before bomb attacks in Brussels killed 32 people. | His arrest, in a dramatic police operation, came four days before bomb attacks in Brussels killed 32 people. |
| Belgian and French authorities will now consider how to go ahead with the extradition, the federal prosecutor's office says. | Belgian and French authorities will now consider how to go ahead with the extradition, the federal prosecutor's office says. |
| However, the transfer may take several weeks as Abdeslam - a French national, born in Belgium - is also wanted for questioning in connection with the Brussels bombings. | |
| Police believe the same militant network was behind attacks in both cities. | |
| After his arrest, Abdeslam was initially questioned over his alleged role in the Paris attacks. | After his arrest, Abdeslam was initially questioned over his alleged role in the Paris attacks. |
| But after last week's suicide bombings in the Belgian capital, he then exercised his right to silence. | But after last week's suicide bombings in the Belgian capital, he then exercised his right to silence. |
| "As Salah Abdeslam had declared to agree to be transferred to France, a federal magistrate took his formal declaration today. The transfer is possible," the prosecutor's office said. | "As Salah Abdeslam had declared to agree to be transferred to France, a federal magistrate took his formal declaration today. The transfer is possible," the prosecutor's office said. |
| Earlier, a lawyer for Abdeslam, Cedric Moisse, said that his client had dropped his initial objection to being extradited. | Earlier, a lawyer for Abdeslam, Cedric Moisse, said that his client had dropped his initial objection to being extradited. |
| "He wishes to co-operate with the French authorities," he added. | "He wishes to co-operate with the French authorities," he added. |
| Abdeslam has links to at least two of the Brussels bombers. | |
| His fingerprints were found in a flat rented by Khalid el-Bakraoui, who blew himself up on the metro on 22 March. | |
| Investigators say Najim Laachraoui, named as one of the two Brussels airport bombers, was stopped by police in a car with Abdeslam on the Hungarian border with Austria in September. | |
| Salah Abdeslam - from petty crook to Islamist |