Belgian authorities have confirmed the fourth Brussels bombings suspect was “still on the run” and said previous reports of him being captured were false.
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Ibrahim, 29, is one of two men dressed in dark tops who blew themselves up at the airport – the second has not been named.
But the brothers – Khalid and Ibrahim el-Bakraoui, both Belgians with criminal records – were identified by authorities as suicide bombers who attacked the Brussels metro and airport on Tuesday, claiming at least 31 lives and injuring 270 people.
Another man, also a suicide bomber, standing to Brahim’s left in the CCTV footage has not yet been identified, according to Van Leeuw.
Belgian authorities haven’t made an official statement yet on whether ISIS is behind the attacks.
Police on Tuesday conducted raids into the night and circulated a photo of three men seen in the airport suspected of involvement in the attacks.
Two people were arrested Tuesday in connection with the attacks – one in Schaerbeek and the other in Haren – though one of them was released later that day, Van Leeuw said.
The Islamic State terrorist group, taking credit for the Brussels attacks via its Amaq news agency, said its fighters carried out the bombings with explosive belts and devices. Terrorist groups continue to plan “near-term events” throughout Europe, though the US has no knowledge of a specific threat there, State Department spokesman Mark Toner said at a briefing in Washington.
Following a raid on their hideout, investigators found a will on a computer dumped in a bin in which Ibrahim said he was always on the run, felt increasingly unsafe and feared ending up in prison.
The attacks have disrupted life in Brussels in other ways as well.
Investigators are still searching for one suspect and are working to identify a second dead bomber, having only been able to identify two of the four alleged attackers so far. Up to 230 people are reported to have been injured in the attacks. Belgian media reported that the lethal paraphernalia found in the Schaerbeek district of Brussels was left behind because the culprits ordered a minivan from a local taxi service and had to make do with the smaller sedan that was sent to pick them up instead.
Fallen bricks from a wall in a auto park are seen following an explosion at Maelbeek metro station following an attack on March 22, 2016 in Brussels.
Belgians observed a moment of silence and will hold three days of mourning after the attacks.
“Due to the violence of the attacks, this investigation is particularly hard”.
European leaders deployed more police as Brussels went on lockdown with the cancellation of flights to and from the Brussels Airport and the stopping of subway travel.
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The Belgian Football Association cancelled next week’s friendly match between Belgium and Portugal, citing security concerns, according to the BBC. Abdeslam was arrested Friday in the Brussels neighborhood where he grew up, a rough place with links to several of the attackers who targeted a Paris stadium, rock concert and cafes on November 13.
