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Belgian police knew of attack plans

Authorities in Belgium were informed about a plan to attack the Brussels airport by Athens police in January, a Greek broadcaster says.

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Source: AAP


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Greek police had found plans for a potential attack on Brussels airport in two Athens flats in January 2015 and informed the Belgian authorities, Skai news broadcaster reports.

Among other documents, a map of Brussels airport was found. Greek police have not yet issued an official statement on the report.

The Skai report said the plans were found in flats that had been rented by Islamists. It later became apparent a man linked to the mastermind behind the November Paris attacks, Abdelhamid Abaaoud, was involved in Athens, the report said.

The November 13 terrorist attacks on a football stadium, concert hall, restaurants and bars in the French capital Paris left 130 people dead. Belgian national Abaaoud, 28, was later shot dead in a dramatic anti-terrorist raid in the Paris suburb of Saint-Denis.

Abaaoud's extensive movements around Europe also involved renting a flat in Athens. French police had provided Greek police with Abaaoud's DNA after his death.

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As part of the investigations at the time, a 33-year-old man was arrested in another flat and later handed over to Belgium by the Greek authorities.


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