Brussels attacks: Council Chamber extends preventive detention of Abrini and Krayem

Brussels attacks: Council Chamber extends preventive detention of Abrini and Krayem

The Brussels Council Chamber on Thursday confirmed that the preventive detention of Mohamed Abrini and Ossama Krayem has been extended by two months as part of the judicial investigation into the terror attacks carried out in Brussels and Zaventem on the 22nd of March 2016, the Office of the Federal Prosecutor announced on Thursday. Mohamed Abrini, who had been wanted since the attacks conducted on the 13th of November 2015 in Paris, was arrested on the 8th of April 2016 in the Albert Square in Anderlecht. He has admitted that he was the man wearing a hat seen on the security camera at Zaventem Airport. He is thus the third man, seen in the company of the two suicide bombers at Brussels Airport, who left a suitcase filled with explosives at the airport.

After Najim Lachraoui and Ibrahim El Bakraoui set off their explosives, he reportedly left the airport on foot, apparently leaving his own, still-intact bomb there.

Abrini’s DNA was found in the Brussels appartments on Max Roos and Henri Bergé’s streets that served as hideouts. On the 20th of May 2016, he took part in reconstructions held in Max Roos Street in Schaerbeck and in Brussels Airport. He has been charged with participation in the activities of a terrorist group, terrorist assassinations and attempted terrorist assassinations in the Brussels attacks case. He has also been charged with participating in the activities of a terrorist group and terrorist assassinations in connection with the Paris attacks.

Ossama Krayem, a Swedish national from Malmö, who had until then been known by the pseudonym of “Naim Al Hamed”, was also arrested on the 8th of April 2016, in Laeken. He had been present in the City 2 Mall when the bags used in the Brussels attacks were bought there.

Just before the attack perpetrated in the subway, he was filmed in the Pétillon station while speaking furtively with Khalid El Bakraoui, the terrorist who blew himself up at Maelbeek. He also gave El Bakroaui the backpack with which he blew himself up, but claims he did not know the bag contained explosives.

Ossama Krayem has been charged with participating in the activities of a terrorist group and terrorist assassinations in connection with the Brussels attacks.


The Brussels Times


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