Salah Abdeslam phone call leads to fifth arrest in Belgium

Salah Abdeslam phone call leads to fifth arrest in Belgium

During the search of the cell of a Namur prisoner who, according to RTBF, had spoken on the phone with Salah Abdeslam on the evening of the November 13th Paris attacks, investigators found a phone number which led to the arrest Abdheila Chouaa. He was caught in Brussels two weeks ago and is the fifth person charged in the terror case, reveals the public broadcaster on Wednesday.

35-year-old Abdheila Chouaa lives in Ganshoren, but moved from Molenbeek shortly before the summer. He is acquainted with Salah Abdeslam, but is really a friend of Mohamed Abrini, the man who drove Salah Abdeslam to Paris on November 11th, two days before the Paris attacks.

According to RTBF, investigators are puzzled by the role Abdheila Chouaa played: he is the one who drove Mohamed Abrini to the airport when he officially went to Turkey on holiday last June. He also picked him up in Paris three weeks later, after Mohamed Abrini trqvelled via the UK where jihadist Abdelhamid Abbaoud has useful contacts.

Abdheila Chouaa is the son of a Molenbeek imam and says the Namur prisoner did not get in touch with him. Courts are keeping him in detention for the time being. His attorney has appealed before the Council Chamber. The next stage in the case is scheduled at the Criminal Division on Friday.  

(Source: Belga)


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