The Paris attack suspect Salah Abdeslam remains at large after evading a series of late-night police raids in Belgium, which is now in its third day of lockdown.
Officials said they have arrested at least 21 suspects in 24 raids since Sunday night aimed at closing down a terrorist network which authorities believe is planning an attack similar to the one which left 130 people dead in Paris 10 days ago.
No weapons or explosives were found during the raids, and the failure to capture Abdeslam will further undermine wavering confidence in the competence of Belgium’s counter-terrorism agencies.
Eric van der Sypt, Belgium’s public prosecutor, told a news conference early on Monday that a judge would review the detentions of the first 16 people arrested. A further five arrests were announced later in the day. In one incident police opened fire on a car that was later found in Brussels, but it was not clear if it was linked to the case, van der Sypt said.
“Abdeslam Salah was not found during the raids,” he added.
The French president, François Hollande, and British prime minister, David Cameron, visited the Bataclan concert venue, which saw the worst carnage of the Paris attacks, on Monday morning.
Officials said they have arrested at least 21 suspects in 24 raids since Sunday night aimed at closing down a terrorist network which authorities believe is planning an attack similar to the one which left 130 people dead in Paris 10 days ago.
No weapons or explosives were found during the raids, and the failure to capture Abdeslam will further undermine wavering confidence in the competence of Belgium’s counter-terrorism agencies.
Eric van der Sypt, Belgium’s public prosecutor, told a news conference early on Monday that a judge would review the detentions of the first 16 people arrested. A further five arrests were announced later in the day. In one incident police opened fire on a car that was later found in Brussels, but it was not clear if it was linked to the case, van der Sypt said.
“Abdeslam Salah was not found during the raids,” he added.
The French president, François Hollande, and British prime minister, David Cameron, visited the Bataclan concert venue, which saw the worst carnage of the Paris attacks, on Monday morning.
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