After working for a time with the Belgian courts, he now remains silent …
Abdeslam Salah, arrested on 18 March in Brussels and held in Belgium, would be handed over to France and “collaborating with the French authorities”, said his lawyer Sven Mary on Thursday. At first, the 10th man of Paris commando did not wish to be extradited to France and said he wanted to work with the Belgian courts . But he took refuge in silence from Brussels attacks of 22nd March.
He had not been taken from his Bruges prison (northwest) on Thursday morning for the hearing before the Brussels Court of Appeal on the review of the European arrest warrant issued against him by France. The hearing was postponed to Thursday 16h to allow time for the prosecutor to go hear him in prison, told journalists Me Cedric Moisse.
Decision on extradition made by Friday
“I confirm also that Salah Abdeslam wishes to be handed over to French authorities,” the lawyer added. “It therefore agrees to the implementation of its European arrest warrant and I can also confirm that he wishes to cooperate with the French authorities.” The federal Belgian parquet “not opposed” to the delivery of Abdeslam in France, on the other hand told AFP a spokesman for prosecutors, Eric Van der Sypt.
The decision of the council chamber – investigating court that sits in camera – must be made by Friday, on the expiry of 15 days after the arrest of Abdeslam. He had heard the day after his arrest by the Belgian investigators, first pretending to cooperate before wall in silence. Heard again on March 22 just after the Brussels bombings (32 dead), he had also refused to any statement.
