Mohamed Abrini is one of Europe’s most wanted fugitivesUmberto Bacchi, “Europe’s most wanted: Mafia boss and Islamist attacker in EU’s top fugitives list,” International Business Times, January 29, 2016, http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/europes-most-wanted-mafia-boss-islamist-attacker-eus-top-fugitives-list-1540868. and a named suspect in the November 2015 ISIS attacks in Paris, which killed 130 people and wounded 350 more. A European arrest warrant has described Abrini as “armed and dangerous.”Umberto Bacchi, “Manhunt for last Isis Paris attacks fugitives: Who are Najim Laachraoui and Mohamed Abrini?” International Business Times, March 21, 2016, http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/manhunt-last-isis-paris-attacks-fugitives-who-are-najim-laachraoui-mohamed-abrini-1550800.
On November 11, 2015, Abrini was filmed in a gas station with “childhood friend” and Paris attacks suspect, Salah Abdeslam.Tom Whitehead, Henry Samuel and Peter Foster, “Brussels attacks: who are the likely terror suspects behind the attack?” Telegraph (London), March 24, 2016, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/belgium/12200965/Brussels-explosions-who-are-the-likely-terror-suspects-behind-the-attack.html. Abrini drove with Abdeslam in a Renault Clio that was ultimately used during the Paris attacks. Two days later, Abdeslam participated in the deadly ISIS attacks. According to the Belgian prosecutor’s office, Abdeslam had intended to detonate a suicide bomb near France’s national sports stadium north of Paris but ultimately backed out.Alastair MacDonald and John Irish, “'I was a suicide bomber': Paris suspect charged in Belgium,” Reuters, March 20, 2016, http://www.reuters.com/article/us-france-shooting-abdeslam-idUSKCN0WK1KB. Abdeslam was captured by Belgian police in the Brussels neighborhood of Molenbeek on March 18, 2016.“Salah Abdeslam arrêté à Molenbeek, les opérations toujours en cours (direct vidéo),” Le Soir (Brussels), March 18, 2016, http://www.lesoir.be/1155105/article/actualite/belgique/2016-03-18/salah-abdeslam-arrete-molenbeek-operations-toujours-en-cours-direct-video.
Abrini grew up in now infamous Molenbeek, home to Salah Abdeslam, Abdeslam’s brother and fellow Paris attacker Ibrahim, as well as Paris attack "mastermind"Abdelhamid Abaaoud. Molenbeek is considered a hotbed of extremism, a major producer of foreign fighters to Syria, and a destination for obtaining illegal weaponry. The neighborhood is associated with an impressive roster of violent extremists, including suspected August 2015 train assailant Ayoub El Khazzani and May 2014 Brussels Jewish Museum shooter Mehdi Nemmouche.Liam Stack, “How Belgium Became Home to Recent Terror Plots,” New York Times, November 15, 2015, http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/11/15/world/europe/belgium-terrorism-suspects.html; Tim Hume, “Brussels raids: Police hit Molenbeek, area at heart of Belgium's jihadist threat,” CNN, November 16, 2015, http://www.cnn.com/2015/11/15/europe/paris-attacks-belgium-molenbeek/.
Abrini is a former drug dealer and reportedly was imprisoned on charges of petty crimes and robberies.Umberto Bacchi, “Manhunt for last Isis Paris attacks fugitives: Who are Najim Laachraoui and Mohamed Abrini?” International Business Times, March 21, 2016, http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/manhunt-last-isis-paris-attacks-fugitives-who-are-najim-laachraoui-mohamed-abrini-1550800; Tom Whitehead, Henry Samuel and Peter Foster, “Brussels attacks: who are the likely terror suspects behind the attack?” Telegraph (London), March 24, 2016, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/belgium/12200965/Brussels-explosions-who-are-the-likely-terror-suspects-behind-the-attack.html. He is believed to have traveled to Syria at some point in 2015.Tom Whitehead, Henry Samuel and Peter Foster, “Brussels attacks: who are the likely terror suspects behind the attack?” Telegraph (London), March 24, 2016, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/belgium/12200965/Brussels-explosions-who-are-the-likely-terror-suspects-behind-the-attack.html.
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