2 held in Belgium over bombings

BRUSSELS: Mohamed Abrini, wanted over November’s Islamic State attacks in Paris, has been arrested here, said Belgium’s public broadcasters, adding that he was probably involved in last month’s bombings in the capital.

Yesterday public prosecutors confirmed only that police had made several arrests related to the Brussels attacks.

Abrini, 31, a Belgian, was “more than likely” the “man in the hat” seen on security camera footage at Brussels airport on March 22 with two suicide bombers.

Belgian security services have faced fierce criticism at home and abroad since Brussels-based militants killed 130 in Paris on November 13.

Yesterday’s arrests follow the arrest in Brussels three weeks ago of the prime surviving suspect in those attacks.

Four days after the March 18 arrest of Salah Abdeslam, with whom Abrini was seen driving towards Paris two days before the Paris attacks, brothers Brahim and Khalid El Bakraoui and a third local man, Najim Laachraoui, killed 32 people at Brussels airport and on a metro line.

VRT and RTBF news agencies said Abrini was probably the man disguised in heavy glasses and a floppy hat who was pictured with Brahim Bakraoui and Laachraoui moments before the other two blew themselves up at the airport.

A second suspect held yesterday, named as Osama Kraiem, was believed to be a man seen with Khalid Bakraoui at a metro station shortly before the latter blew himself up on a train. – Reuters

ARRESTED: Mohamed Abrini