Paris terror fiend foiled
A SUSPECTED ISIS terrorist charged with plotting an imminent nt attack had amassed an “unpreceedented” trove of guns and exploo sives, French prosecutors said Wednesday.
Investigators searching the Pariss apartment of Reda Kriket found d nearly 4 pounds of explosives, s, Kalashnikov assault rifles, a submaachine gun, pistols, ammunition andd four boxes containing thousands of small steel balls, prosecutor FranncoisMolins said.
Also discovered were seven cellll phones, stolen French passportsts and two computers showing linkss with jihadist groups.
Among the explosives was TATP, P, which was used in suicide bombs s thatwere detonated in terror attacks s in Paris on Nov. 13 and in Brusselss onMarch22.
The arsenal, Molins said, led inn vestigators to believe that Kriket, a 34-year-old French national, was prepping foran “imminent attack.”
The target of the attack remains s unknown. The extremist, who was s arrested Thursday, has divulged scant details to investigators, Molins said.
Kriket was hit with a slew of charges Wednesday, including terrrorist conspiracy, possession of weapons and explosives and falsifiication of documents.
Two Algerians suspected of takking part in Kriket’s alleged plot aree being held in Brussels.
The men, identified as Abderrahmane A. and Rabah M., will face a hearing April 7, according to the Belgian federal prosecutors office. Another Frenchman linked to Kriket, Anis Bari, is in custody in the Dutch cityof Rotterdam, Molins said.
A career criminal, Kr ike tis suspected of raising money for extremist networks in 2012 and 2013.
Prior to the Paris attacks, Kriket was convicted in absentia in July along with Khaled Zerkani, who is believed to be Belgium’s most prolific recruiter of jihadists.
Also convicted in absentia was Abdelhamid Abaaoud, the suspected chief on-the-ground architect of the Paris attacks.
On Wednesday, a laptop found near the hideout of the suspects in this month’s Brussels airport and subway bombings contained images of the Belgian prime minister’s official residence and office.
An official said there were “absolutely no” specific indications that Prime Minister Charles Michel was under threat from the attackers.