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Belgium issues warrant for new suspect seen driving Paris attacks car

Man was reportedly seen with key suspect Salah Abdeslam at a gas station enroute to Paris before attacks
Soldiers patrol Brussels' streets on Thursday as the Belgian capital remains on the highest possible alert level (AFP)

Belgium has issued an international arrest warrant for a man seen driving a car with key Paris attacks suspect Salah Abdeslam two days before the atrocities.

Mohamed Abrini, 29, was filmed along with Abdeslam at a petrol station in Ressons enroute to Paris in a Renault Clio which was later used in the attacks, Belgium's federal prosecutor said in a statement on Tuesday.

"Two days before the Paris attacks, on 11 November around 19:00pm (18:00 GMT), Salah Abdeslam was filmed in a gas station in Ressons, together with a person who has been identified as Mohamed Abrini, born 27 December 1984," the prosecutor's statement said.

"The latter was driving the Renault Clio used two days later for committing the attacks.

"The investigating judge has issued an European and International arrest warrant against Mohamed Abrini. He is actively tracked down by Belgian and French police services," said the communique, which was issued in English.

Belgian authorities also charged a fifth person in connection with the attacks, following the arrest of several people in Brussels and the eastern city of Liege.

"The investigating judge, specialised in terrorism cases, has placed one person under arrest warrant for participation in the activities of a terrorist group and terrorist murders," a statement from Belgium's federal prosecutor said.

Four others arrested Monday were released.

The capital Brussels was locked down on Tuesday for a fourth day under a state of maximum alert.

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