The Belgian anti-terrorist services Abdeslam Salah, one of the main suspects in the attacks in Paris, after a four-month manhunt could pick up, is due to technical assistance of the US security organization NSA. This writes the US news site BuzzFeed based on Belgian police and security sources.
Thanks to advanced tracking techniques and controversial eavesdropping program NSA Salah Abdeslam could be arrested on March 18, saying two Belgian sources in the terror trial against BuzzFeed. Abdeslam was arrested by the Belgian services at less than 100 meters from his home in Molenbeek.
In early March there was a breakthrough in the search for Abdeslam at the funeral of another suspect in the bombings in Paris, Chakib Akrouh. Akrouh died when he blew himself up in the search for prime suspect Abdelhamid Abaaoud in Saint-Denis, three days after the attacks. The Belgian research team, which was aware of the funeral, would have enlisted the help of the Americans to trace the smartphones of the attendees.
metadata phones
A special unit of the police followed the funeral from a distance, but eventually the NSA collected the decisive metadata of all phones in the cemetery. According to a BuzzFeed Belgian analyst contacted the Belgian authorities are not able to collect as much information as the NSA. "As Edward Snowden has often explained to the world, nothing is better than the NSA when it comes to intercepting signals," said the analyst.
According to BuzzFeed's funeral was filmed by a friend of Abdeslam and the Americans had to follow mainly smartphone. Earlier surfaced all images of the funeral of Salah Abdeslams brother Brahim who blew himself up in Paris. Funeral, which was also filmed, took place on March 17, a day before Salahs arrest. It is unclear whether even that burial information gathered by the NSA.
The American security service refused to comment but referred to an earlier statement: "Our NATO allies are facing an increasingly complex and diffuse threat. Therefore, and in order to stay one step ahead, we constantly strive towards a more integrated intelligence. "
Salah Abdeslam probably put the car the three suicide fighters off at the Stade de France on 13 November 2015. His brother Brahim was also in the attacks to - he blew himself up.Salah was before the attacks also involved in the rental of hotel rooms, apartments and several cars that were used by the terrorists.
By Editorial Volkskrant: Photo: AP
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