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Brussels attack suspect charged

March 26, 2016

A man arrested in connection with the deadly Brussels attacks is facing several terrorism charges, prosecutors say. Eleven terrorist suspects have been arrested in Belgium and Germany since the attacks.

https://p.dw.com/p/1IKCw
The men suspected of carrying out the bomb attack at Brussels' Zaventem airport
Belgian media have speculated as to whether the man arrested is the third airport attacker, rightImage: picture-alliance/dpa/Federal Police

The suspect, identified as Faycal C., has been arrested and charged with involvement in a terrorist group, terrorist murder and attempted terrorist murder, the Belgian federal prosecutor's office announced on Saturday.

The man was one of six people detained in police raids on Thursday.

In a statement, prosecutors said the suspect's home had been searched by police but no weapons or explosives had been found.

They said two other men, identified as Aboubakar A. and Rabah N., had also been charged with participation in the activities of a terrorist group. However, no direct link was made with the Brussels attacks.

Third attacker at airport?

Belgian media are reporting that Faycal C. could be the third suspected attacker seen on CCTV footage at Brussels airport on Tuesday along with two other suspects who allegedly blew themselves up, killing 11 and wounding scores of others. The third man is suspected of fleeing the airport after the attacks.

State broadcaster RTDF reported that police were carrying out DNA analyses to determine if Faycal C. was indeed the third attacker.

Thirty-one people died and hundreds were injured in the attacks on Tuesday at the airport and on the subway.

Wave of arrests after Brussels attacks

Since Thursday, nine people in total have been arrested in Belgium and two in Germany, as European authorities seek out militants associated with the "Islamic State" group that has claimed responsibility both for the Brussels attacks and those in Paris last November.

Deutschland Düsseldorf - Festnahme Terrorverdächtiger Brüssel
Two terrorism suspects have been arrested in GermanyImage: picture-alliance/dpa/M. Becker

Authorities say they believe that the attacks in both cities were coordinated from Belgium.

Brussels Airport officials say flights will not resume before Tuesday, citing the need to assess the damage to the terminal from the two bomb blasts and to take into account new security measures decided by the government.

The airport handles 23.5 million passengers annually.

tj/rc (AP, Reuters, AFP)