ATHENS, Greece – Greek police have detained four suspected terrorists, including one who could be the man wanted by Belgian authorities as an alleged ringleader of a jihadi cell, a police official told the Associated Press Saturday.
The four were arrested Saturday, including one who “matches the description” of Abdelhamid Abaaoud – the man who Belgian authorities suspect was the mastermind behind a dismantled jihadi cell there, the official said.
READ MORE: European police arrest 2 dozen in anti-terror sweep
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not officially authorized to comment on an ongoing investigation.
Greek police have sent photos, fingerprints and DNA material to Belgium and are waiting to see whether the person is indeed Abaaoud, the source said.
Two suspects were killed in a firefight and a third wounded in a vast anti-terrorism sweep in Belgium on Thursday that netted several returnees from Islamic holy war in Syria. Federal magistrate Eric Van der Sypt said the suspects were within hours of implementing a plan to kill police.
Belgian media reported that investigators were still looking for one man – a Belgian with Moroccan roots who had gone to fight with the Islamic State group in Syria, and was said to be in Greece. Federal magistrate Eric Van der Sypt declined to comment, but expressed “regret that the element of Greece has reached the media.”
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