Sixth suspect arrested in investigation of Brussels attacks

A sixth suspect was arrested during police operations Friday in Brussels as part of the investigation into Brussels attacks, reported Saturday the Belgian Flemish channel VRT.

It would be Bilal El Makhoukhi, an inhabitant of Brussels condemned in the major trial around the tiny group Sharia4Belgium in Antwerp, said the report, quoting sources from the Belgian federal prosecutor.

Friday, Mohamed Abrini, involved in the attacks in Paris and Brussels, and four other people were arrested in Brussels by the Belgian police.

Mohamed Abrini, wanted for complicity in preparing the attacks in Paris, would more than likely the "man in the hat" seen in the overview of surveillance cameras of the Zaventem Airport on the morning of Brussels attacks, according to some local media reports.

Another arrested suspect is Osama Krayem, the person seen with the kamikaze of Maelbeek Khalid El Bakraoui at the metro station Petillon, shortly before the explosion of Maelbeek in Brussels.

These arrests represent an important step in investigating the radical cell that committed the killings in Paris and Brussels, said the Belgian broadcaster RTBF.

However, the National Security Council, having a meet Friday evening, decided to keep the terrorist alert level to 3, "possible and probable" threat, on a scale of four. Endit