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Police believe man in hat in Brussels airport bombing arrested

By Amy R. Connolly
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Police said they arrested a suspect in the Brussels and Paris terror attack who could be the man in the white jacket and hat pictured in surveillance footage of the Brussels airport attack. Photo courtesy of Brussels Police
Police said they arrested a suspect in the Brussels and Paris terror attack who could be the man in the white jacket and hat pictured in surveillance footage of the Brussels airport attack. Photo courtesy of Brussels Police

BRUSSELS, April 8 (UPI) -- A Belgium man wanted in connection to the Islamic State's attack on Paris in November and the Brussels airport bombing last month was arrested Friday.

Investigators believe Mohamed Abrini, 31, is the "man with the hat" who was seen in security camera footage at the Brussels airport with two suicide bombers who blew themselves up. Another suspect, who has not been identified, was also arrested.

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"The federal prosecutors office confirms that there were several arrests during the day in connection with the attacks at the [Brussels Airport in Zaventem] and [Maelbeek metro]," federal prosecutors said in a written statement.

Law enforcement had been searching for Abrini since he was seen on security footage at a Paris gas station with Salah Abdeslam, a main suspect in the Paris bombings, two days before the attacks there.

Abrini was seen driving a Renault Clio used in the Paris attack, which left 130 people dead. Abdeslam was arrested two days before the March 22 Brussels bombings that left at least 32 people dead.

Investigator said Abrini has an extensive criminal record. He is thought to have traveled to Syria with his younger brother who joined the IS, also known as ISIS, ISIL and Daesh.

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