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Investigators Pursue Leads on Frenchman Accused of Terror Plot Investigators Pursue Leads on Frenchman Accused of Terror Plot
(about 7 hours later)
PARIS — Soldiers, police officers and at least one bomb-sniffing dog descended on a wooded residential neighborhood in northwestern Belgium on Thursday morning as investigators dug into the activities of Reda Kriket, a Frenchman who has been charged with plotting an “imminent attack” in France. PARIS — Soldiers, police officers and at least one bomb-sniffing dog descended on a wooded residential neighborhood in northwestern Belgium on Thursday morning as investigators dug into the activities of Reda Kriket, a Frenchman who has been charged with plotting an “imminent attack” in France.
The Belgian authorities said little about the search, which focused on the Villa Marquette, a vacant former hotel and restaurant in the Rodenburg section of Marke, one of the districts that make up Kortrijk. The city is 28 miles south of Bruges.The Belgian authorities said little about the search, which focused on the Villa Marquette, a vacant former hotel and restaurant in the Rodenburg section of Marke, one of the districts that make up Kortrijk. The city is 28 miles south of Bruges.
“This investigation was conducted by a joint investigation team of Belgian and French investigators,” the federal prosecutor’s office in Brussels said, while declining to provide details.“This investigation was conducted by a joint investigation team of Belgian and French investigators,” the federal prosecutor’s office in Brussels said, while declining to provide details.
Mr. Kriket, 34, a native of Courbevoie, France, was charged on Wednesday with terrorist conspiracy, possession of weapons and explosives, and falsification of documents, among other offenses. He had amassed an arsenal of weapons and bombs that could have produced a deadly assault like the ones that Islamic State militants carried out against Paris on Nov. 13 and against Brussels on March 22.Mr. Kriket, 34, a native of Courbevoie, France, was charged on Wednesday with terrorist conspiracy, possession of weapons and explosives, and falsification of documents, among other offenses. He had amassed an arsenal of weapons and bombs that could have produced a deadly assault like the ones that Islamic State militants carried out against Paris on Nov. 13 and against Brussels on March 22.
Mr. Kriket had multiple convictions for robbery, possession of stolen goods and acts of violence. Officials say he raised money for a network of militants in 2012 and 2013 and — with Anis Bahri, 32, a French accomplice with a record of robberies — visited Syria between late 2014 and early 2015. Mr. Kriket had multiple convictions for robbery, possession of stolen goods and acts of violence. Officials said he had raised money for a network of militants in 2012 and 2013 and — with Anis Bahri, 32, a French accomplice with a record of robberies — visited Syria between late 2014 and early 2015.
On July 29, a Belgian court convicted Mr. Kriket in absentia of financing a jihadist recruitment network with proceeds from robberies and other crimes. Abdelhamid Abaaoud, believed to have been the chief on-the-ground planner of the Paris attacks, was also convicted in absentia, in the same proceeding. On July 29, a Belgian court convicted Mr. Kriket in absentia of financing a jihadist recruitment network with proceeds from robberies and other crimes. Abdelhamid Abaaoud, believed to have been the chief on-the-ground planner of the Paris attacks, was also convicted in absentia in the same proceeding.
François Molins, the Paris prosecutor, said the French case against Mr. Kriket stemmed from an investigation into an unnamed individual who was deported from Turkey to France and detained on Nov. 28, two weeks after the terrorist attacks in and around Paris. Arrest warrants were issued for Mr. Bahri on Dec. 24 and Mr. Kriket on Jan. 14.François Molins, the Paris prosecutor, said the French case against Mr. Kriket stemmed from an investigation into an unnamed individual who was deported from Turkey to France and detained on Nov. 28, two weeks after the terrorist attacks in and around Paris. Arrest warrants were issued for Mr. Bahri on Dec. 24 and Mr. Kriket on Jan. 14.
On March 11, a Peugeot Partner identified as being Mr. Bahri’s left Argenteuil for Belgium, Mr. Molins said. Two French investigative judges asked for Belgium’s help in monitoring the car’s movements, and the Belgian police learned that the driver was Mr. Kriket. On March 18, a team of Belgian and French investigators was set up to monitor the two men. On March 11, a Peugeot Partner identified as being Mr. Bahri’s left Argenteuil, France, for Belgium, Mr. Molins said. Two French investigative judges asked for Belgium’s help in monitoring the car’s movements, and the Belgian police learned that the driver was Mr. Kriket. On March 18, a team of Belgian and French investigators was set up to monitor the two men.
Mr. Kriket was arrested on the afternoon of March 24 in Boulogne-Billancourt, a western suburb of Paris. That evening, the authorities raided a fourth-floor apartment Mr. Kriket had rented under a fake name in Argenteuil, a northwestern suburb, where they found a large trove of weapons and bomb-making material. A SIM card that Mr. Kriket was carrying contained two Dutch phone numbers, which helped investigators to track down Mr. Bahri, who was arrested in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, three days later. Mr. Kriket was arrested on the afternoon of March 24 in Boulogne-Billancourt, a western suburb of Paris. That evening, the authorities raided a fourth-floor apartment Mr. Kriket had rented under a fake name in Argenteuil, a northwestern suburb, where they found a large trove of weapons and bomb-making material. A SIM card that Mr. Kriket was carrying contained two Dutch phone numbers, which helped investigators track down Mr. Bahri, who was arrested in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, three days later.
Their arrests averted “the carrying out of extremely violent actions by a terrorist network that was ready to take action,” Mr. Molins said on Wednesday evening.Their arrests averted “the carrying out of extremely violent actions by a terrorist network that was ready to take action,” Mr. Molins said on Wednesday evening.
A store owner told the newspaper Le Figaro that he had hired Mr. Kriket early in the last decade, and that Mr. Kriket worked in the shop’s back room for about two years. “Always on time, very cheerful — there was absolutely no problem with him,” said the store owner, who gave his name only as Sylvain. A store owner told the newspaper Le Figaro that he had hired Mr. Kriket early in the last decade, and that Mr. Kriket had worked in the shop’s back room for about two years. “Always on time, very cheerful — there was absolutely no problem with him,” said the store owner, who gave his name only as Sylvain.
He said he was aware of Mr. Kriket’s run-ins with the law but had no reason to complain as his boss. Although Mr. Kriket was later convicted and imprisoned for trafficking in forged currency, Sylvain said he had no problem rehiring Mr. Kriket after his release. But several months later, Mr. Kriket disappeared, the employer said. He said he was aware of Mr. Kriket’s run-ins with the law but had no reason to complain as his boss. Although Mr. Kriket was later convicted and imprisoned for trafficking in forged currency, Sylvain said he had no problem rehiring Mr. Kriket after his release. But several months later, Mr. Kriket disappeared, he said.
Khalid Aït Omar, a town councilor in Courbevoie, where Mr. Kriket grew up, said he was astonished to learn about Mr. Kriket’s suspected role in a terrorist plot. Speaking to the i-Télé news channel last week, Mr. Aït Omar said he did not know Mr. Kriket to be religious. “He was someone who liked risk and making money,” Mr. Aït Omar said. “He liked to show that he was the one with the most money, the biggest chain, the biggest watch.”Khalid Aït Omar, a town councilor in Courbevoie, where Mr. Kriket grew up, said he was astonished to learn about Mr. Kriket’s suspected role in a terrorist plot. Speaking to the i-Télé news channel last week, Mr. Aït Omar said he did not know Mr. Kriket to be religious. “He was someone who liked risk and making money,” Mr. Aït Omar said. “He liked to show that he was the one with the most money, the biggest chain, the biggest watch.”
The last time he saw Mr. Kriket, Mr. Aït Omar said, was in October, when Mr. Kriket told him he had opened a jewelry store in Belgium. “When I saw him again, he said I had to be a practicing Muslim, that I shouldn’t stay in this society,” Mr. Aït Omar said, recalling that Mr. Kriket told him “look at how the girls are dressed, look at this, look at that.” The last time he saw Mr. Kriket, Mr. Aït Omar said, was in October, when Mr. Kriket told him he had opened a jewelry store in Belgium. “When I saw him again, he said I had to be a practicing Muslim, that I shouldn’t stay in this society,” Mr. Aït Omar said, recalling that Mr. Kriket had told him, “Look at how the girls are dressed, look at this, look at that.”
On Thursday, Belgian authorities announced that Salah Abdeslam — believed to be the sole surviving direct participant in the Paris attacks — may be extradited to France. On Thursday, the Belgian authorities announced that Salah Abdeslam, believed to be the sole surviving direct participant in the Paris attacks, might be extradited to France.
Mr. Abdeslam was captured in Brussels on March 18, after a four-month manhunt. He initially resisted extradition, but then changed his position after the attacks in Brussels. Mr. Abdeslam was captured in Brussels on March 18, after a four-month manhunt. He initially resisted extradition, but changed his position after the attacks in Brussels.