Suspected weapons supplier for 2015 Paris attacks arrested in Belgium

Belgian authorities have arrested a man suspected of supplying weapons for the November 2015 terrorist attacks on Paris, the Belga news agency reported on Wednesday.

The attacks by members of the Islamic State extremist organisation killed 130 people at the Bataclan theatre, cafe and bar terraces in the East of the French capital, and in the city’s Stade de France stadium.

“The suspect, identified as Mohamed E, was arrested and charged in late December on suspicion of playing a role in the delivery of Kalashnikov assault rifles,’’ Belga wrote.

The arrest was first reported in various Belgian media and was confirmed to Belga by the federal prosecution agency.

“According to initial findings, Mohamed E was in contact with Mohamed Bakkali, another Paris suspect who is believed to have rented safe houses and apartments under a false identity for those involved in the Paris plot and later attacked in Brussels,’’ Belga wrote.

Bakkali was arrested in Belgium and later extradited to France.

Meanwhile, Belgian media reported that a former fighter for the Islamic State had stolen a hard drive containing autopsy reports on the victims of the March 22, 2016 terrorist attacks in Brussels.

The crown prosecution confirmed in a statement that a hard disc containing a full computer backup had been stolen from the on-site medical examiners’ office on Friday, alongside other items.

The prosecution added that a suspect has been arrested, however, denying all involvement, noting that it was premature to say that specific documents had been targeted. (dpa/NAN)