Terror suspect Salah Abdeslam extradited to France from Belgium

Salah Abdeslam, accused of being one of the terrorists in the Paris attacks which killed 130 people, has been extradited to France from Belgium. Belgian federal prosecutor issued a statement on April 27 saying that Mr Abdeslam “has been surrendered to the French authorities this morning.” Abdeslam is due to appear before the investigating magistrate the same day, and would be placed in provisional custody,” the Paris prosecutor’s office said in a statement. The Belgium-born French citizen is facing prosecution in relation to the Paris terror attacks in November 2015. Mr Abdeslam’s brother blew himself up in the Paris attacks, but he backed out of being a suicide bomber in the terror spree and fled to Belgium, according to the authorities.

According to reports, French lawyer Frank Berton will defend Mr Abdeslam, who he described young man “falling apart” and ready to co-operate. The French prosecutor said that investigative magistrates will begin questioning Mr. Abdeslam on April 27. He was arrested by Belgian authorities in March, just days before the March 22 terror attacks in Brussels. Authorities claim that the events leading up to Mr Abdeslam’s capture, prompted the men who carried out the Brussels attacks to speed up their plans.

Last month, Mr Abdeslam has reportedly denied knowing anything about the Brussels attack and said he would not fight extradition to France to face charges related to the attacks in Paris last November. However, French investigators believe that he provided logistics by renting cars and hotel rooms for the attackers in both Belgium and Paris.

Belgian authorities have already questioned him over his links to three suicide bombers who struck Brussels airport and metro on 22 March, killing 32 people and injuring hundreds.

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