A Belgian man with ‘direct links’ to the Paris attackers who killed 130 people in a number of shootings and bombings in November, has been arrested in Morocco.
Gelel Attar, a 26-year-old Belgian of Moroccan descent, had travelled to Syria with at least one of the Paris suicide bombers to link up with ISIS, the Interior Ministry said.
While in Syria, Attar received military training and built relationships with several ISIS commanders, ‘including the mastermind’ of the Paris attacks; Abdelhamid Abaaoud.
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Arrested: Gelel Attar, a 26-year-old Belgian of Moroccan descent, has been arrested near Casablanca
Belgian federal prosecutor Eric Van der Sypt said Attar is a dual Belgian-Moroccan national previously convicted in Belgium of involvement with a terrorist group.
Several of the Islamic extremists who targeted a Paris rock concert, stadium and cafes on November 13 had Moroccan origins and links to Belgium.
The Moroccan ministry said in a statement that Attar was arrested Friday in the town of Mohammedia, near Casablanca, after travelling through Turkey, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium. It said the suspect is under investigation.
Like several of the Paris attackers, Attar lived in the Brussels neighbourhood of Molenbeek, home to many immigrants of Moroccan descent.
Last July, he was one of 30 people found guilty of involvement in an operation to recruit foreign fighters for Syria. Some were already in Syria when the trial took place – including Attar.
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Attar, who had spent time in Syria with ISIS had ‘direct links’ to some of the Paris attackers, who killed 130 people and injured 352 in a series of bombings and shootings on November 13
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In July 2015, Attar was convicted of recruiting fighters for ISIS, alongside Paris ‘ringleader’ Abdelhamid Abaaoud, whom he had met in Syria, and Saint Denis suicide bomber Chakib Akrouh
