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          Manhunt Launched for New Suspect in Brussels Subway Bombing

   by Lisa Bryant

   Authorities in Brussels are now searching for another suspect in
   connection with Tuesday's deadly terrorist attacks at the Brussels
   airport and a subway station near the European Union headquarters.

   The latest suspect was spotted on surveillance footage holding a large
   bag while standing next to Khalid el-Bakraoui, the suicide bomber who
   carried out the attack on a metro train at the Maelbeek station.

   Police are still looking for a third man captured on video walking
   through the airport with Khalid el-Bakraoui's brother, Ibrahim, and
   Najim Laachraoui, who killed themselves carrying out the attack at the
   departure terminal at the Zaventem airport.

   ''Bombmaker
   Intelligence officials say 25-year-old Laachraoui was a bombmaker for
   the Islamic State group who was also involved with last November's
   terrorist attacks in Paris. His DNA was found at an apartment in
   Brussels on Tuesday that authorities believe was where bombs were
   constructed.

   The man identified as the prime suspect in the Paris attacks, Salah
   Abdeslam, was arrested last Friday during a raid in Brussels.
   Abdeslam's lawyer says he will not fight extradition to France, where
   he will face potential terrorism charges.

   Belgian's public broadcaster, RTBF, reported Abdeslam's fingerprint was
   found at an apartment rented by Khalid el-Bakraoui during a raid
   conducted by French and Belgian police last week in connection with the
   Paris attacks.

   Justice and interior ministers from across the European Union will hold
   an emergency meeting in Brussels Thursday to discuss a response to the
   terrorist attacks, which killed at least 31 people -- 11 at the
   airport, 20 at the Maelbeek station -- and wounded 300 others.  At
   least 60 of the wounded are said to be in intensive care.

   ''Turkey's warning
   Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Wednesday his government
   warned authorities in Belgium about Ibrahim el-Bakraoui, who was
   stopped in southern Turkey near the Gaziantep border crossing into
   Syria. The Turkish president said el-Bakraoui was deported last July
   but was subsequently released by European authorities, "despite our
   warnings that this person was a foreign terrorist fighter."

   Erdogan said those holding el-Bakraoui after he was deported "could not
   establish any links with terrorism," so they released the 29-year-old
   Belgian national.

   Authorities believe the Paris attacks were at least partially plotted
   in Belgium.

   "France and Belgian are united more than ever in their sadness and
   determination," Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel said in joint
   press remarks shortly after, alongside his French counterpart Manuel
   Valls.

   Both countries are also worried about the growing number of their
   youngsters turning to militant Islam. While some are converts, many
   others are disaffected second-generation immigrants from North and
   sub-Saharan Africa.

   ''On lockdown
   Much of the city remains on lockdown. The airport is closed until at
   least Saturday.

   Belgium's terror alert is at maximum level. Authorities throughout
   Europe have boosted security at airports and other public spaces in
   response to the Brussels attacks, and a friendly soccer match set for
   next week between Belgium and Portugal has been moved from Brussels to
   the Portuguese city of Leiria as a precaution.

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   [1]http://www.voanews.com/content/manhunt-launched-for-new-suspect-in-b
   russels-subway-bombing/3252448.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/manhunt-launched-for-new-suspect-in-brussels-subway-bombing/3252448.html