Paris Terror Attack Suspect Is Shot and Captured in Belgium
Salah Abdeslam, one of the most wanted men in the world, had evaded capture for four months as he slipped through the fingers of authorities on several occasions. Now the alleged mastermind of the November massacre of 130 faces extradition to France.
Salah Abdeslam, in white hooded sweatshirt, was on the run for 126 days before being caught by commandos. (VTM via AP)
One of the most wanted men in the world is in custody. Belgian police commandos on Friday apprehended Salah Abdeslam, the last suspect sought in November’s terror attacks in Paris, after raiding his hideout in Brussels.
According to reports, Abdeslam, 26, was shot in the leg as he attempted to flee and was arrested with four others.
The capture ended a four-month manhunt by French and Belgian authorities. Police stopped Abdeslam on the night of the Paris attacks that killed 130 people, but he was released because he had not yet been identified as a suspect. The killings took place at a rock concert, a soccer stadium and several cafes.
Two days later, Abdeslam, a Belgian-born French citizen, eluded capture again when Belgian authorities, because of a law prohibiting nighttime raids, were unable to enter a house where he was thought to be hiding. Earlier this week, he escaped a police raid at a different location in Brussels. His fingerprints were found at the scene, a development that helped authorities plan Friday’s successful operation.
“This is an important result in the battle for democracy,” Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel declared at a news conference alongside French President Francois Hollande, who was in Brussels for a European summit.
Investigators say Abdeslam might have driven a car that dropped off three suicide bombers near the Stade de France, one of the attack sites. He is expected to be sent to France for trial.
–Posted by Eric Ortiz
WAIT BEFORE YOU GO...This year, the ground feels uncertain — facts are buried and those in power are working to keep them hidden. Now more than ever, independent journalism must go beneath the surface.
At Truthdig, we don’t just report what's happening — we investigate how and why. We follow the threads others leave behind and uncover the forces shaping our future.
Your tax-deductible donation fuels journalism that asks harder questions and digs where others won’t.
Don’t settle for surface-level coverage.
Unearth what matters. Help dig deeper.
Donate now.
Both the Amazon and the Congo have helped mitigate the effects of global warming. That may no longer be the case, a new study reveals.
The famed sociologist saw what most white intellectuals could not: the savage nature of an American empire intent on suppressing and exploiting people of color in the U.S. and across the world.
You need to be a supporter to comment.
There are currently no responses to this article.
Be the first to respond.