Greece 'Will Extradite Jihadist' Suspect to Belgium
Greece will extradite to Belgium an Algerian man with suspected links to a jihadist cell dismantled by Belgian security forces last week, a justice source said Tuesday.
The 33-year-old suspect, who has said he is willing to be sent to Belgium because he wants to prove his innocence, will be extradited later Tuesday or Wednesday, the source said.
The man was arrested in Athens on Saturday, two days after Belgian police had carried out a raid in the eastern town of Verviers and shot dead two suspects.
Belgian investigators believe the group were preparing to attack police officers and police stations in Belgium.
According to police, the suspect in Athens has served a jail term in Greece for a robbery conviction but was released nearly a year ago.
Another man who was arrested with him in the Greek capital was released.
Belgian media have named Abdelhamid Abaaoud, a 27-year-old Belgian of Moroccan descent who remains at large, as the presumed mastermind of the cell in Belgium.
The raids in Belgium came after jihadist gunmen killed 17 people in France in attacks on the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo and a Jewish supermarket.
The foiled attacks in Belgium have led to arrests in several European countries.
Source: Agence France Presse
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