Salah Abdeslam, who was arrested in Belgium days before deadly bombings struck Brussels, is a step closer to going to France to face charges of being part of November’s Paris attacks, after a Belgian judge approved his extradition.
According to Belgian news site RTL, the investigating court’s approval came after Abdelslam confirmed his willingness to be extradited. The agency adds that a judge went to the prison in Bruges where Abelslam is being held in order to consider the extradition request.
Abdelslam, 26, was captured on March 18, during a police raid in the Brussels neighborhood of Molenbeek. Three days later, police announced they had also identified a man who was suspected of being Abdelslam’s accomplice. Only a day later, that man, Laachroui Najim, 24, served as one of the suicide bombers who attacked Brussels’ international airport, police say.