Paris attacks: Five more terror suspects arrested as Brussels remains on lockdown
The Prime Minister is preparing a new proposal for increased British involvement in Syria
![A police officer and soldiers stand guard in the 'Rue des Bouchers' street, famous for it's restaurants, following the terror alert level being elevated to 4/4, in Brussels, Belgium. Belgium raised the alert status at Level 4/4 as 'serious and imminent' threat of an attack, the main effect are closing of all Metro Line in Brussels, all soccer match of league one and two cancelled countrywide. The Belgian government said it had concrete evidence of a planned terrorist attack that would have employed weapons and explosives](https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/thumbnails/image/2015/11/23/12/brussels.jpg)
Support truly
independent journalism
Our mission is to deliver unbiased, fact-based reporting that holds power to account and exposes the truth.
Whether $5 or $50, every contribution counts.
Support us to deliver journalism without an agenda.
![Louise Thomas](https://static.independent.co.uk/static-assets/support-us/louise-thomas.png)
Louise Thomas
Editor
David Cameron has pledged to do everything in his power to defeat the "evil death cult" of Isis after meeting Francois Hollande in Paris to discuss co-operation in Iraq and Syria. Here are the latest updates:
- Salah Abdeslam not among suspects arrested in Belgian raids
- What we know about the suspected attacker
- Police have released an image of a third suspect
- Brussels remains on lockdown amid terror alert
- ...and residents have been responding with cat pictures
- Muslims join #NotInMyName protests across Europe
- How authorities missed multiple warnings over suspects
- Eagles of Death metal singer speaks about massacre
- Video shows nurse trying to save suicide bomber
- Support is rising for the far-right in France
- Why France has become a prime target for terrorists
- ...and why Belgium is at the heart of the threat
- Global terror: How small groups can inflict mass casualties
- Hate crime against British Muslims is soaring after attacks
Please allow a moment for the live blog to load
Mr Cameron joined the French President and mayor of Paris to visit the scene of the massacre at the Bataclan concert hall and held talks over breakfast, before pledging the UK's support in a joint press conference.
Brussels remains on lockdown today as the hunt for Paris attacks fugitive Salah Abdeslam continues.
He was not among the 16 people arrested in 22 raids in the Belgian capital yesterday and authorities maintained their highest terror alert in the city for a third straight day. Five more suspects were arrested in Brussels and Liege in new operations overnight.
“We have to stress that no firearms or explosives were discovered ... during the raids,” federal prosecutor Eric Van Der Sypt said. "Certain elements in the investigation made Sunday's intervention necessary. The investigation will in any case be relentlessly continued."
One of those detained was injured when a car he was in tried to ram police during an attempted getaway, he added.
Hundreds of troops have been on patrol as part of efforts to prevent a possible Paris style attack.
Citing a “serious and imminent” threat, Prime Minister Charles Michel announced that schools and universities in Brussels will be closed today, with the underground remaining shut.
“We fear an attack like in Paris, with several individuals, perhaps in several places,” Mr Michel said after chairing a meeting of Belgium's National Security Council.
While Brussels was kept on the highest of four alert levels, the rest of the country remains on a Level 3 alert, meaning an attack is “possible and likely.”
Several Isis militants involved in the Paris attackes had lived in Brussels, including Abdelhamid Abaaoud, the supposed "mastermind" who was killed Wednesday in a police raid.
Abdeslam is known to have crossed into Belgium on 14 November after his brother, Brahim, blew himself up during the massacres. Their other brother, Mohamed Abdeslam, went on Belgian television and urged him to surrender, saying he would rather see him “in prison than in a cemetery.”
Additional reporting by agencies
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments