AP Exclusive: Dead Brussels gunman sought IS suicide mission
Posted March 19, 2016 7:00 am
PARIS (AP) - The Algerian gunman newly linked to the Nov. 13 attacks in Paris after being killed by police joined the Islamic State group in 2014 and said he wanted to die as a suicide bomber, bypassing the choice to be a fighter.
Previously unknown to authorities, Mohamed Belkaid was shot to death Tuesday in a raid that led to fugitive Salah Abdeslam.
In exclusive documents given to The Associated Press by the Syrian opposition news site Zaman al-Wsl, Belkaid said he had traveled throughout Europe and had no experience as a jihadi as he crossed into Syria on April 19, 2014. On Friday, officials said Belkaid was "most probably" an Abdeslam accomplice whose fake Belgian ID was used to pay for the hideout of the Paris attack ringleader.
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