French investigators have identified the Isis member believed to have coordinated the Paris and Brussels attacks from Syria.

Oussama Atar, a 32-year-old extremist, was already a suspect in the bombings that killed more than 30 people at Brussels Airport and a Metro station, but has now been linked to last November’s atrocities in France.

“He’s the only coordinator from Syria to have been identified during the investigations,” a French security source told the AFP news agency.

Atar, who holds dual Belgian and Moroccan nationality, also goes by the name Abu or Abou Ahmad and was picked out of a photo line-up by one of the terrorists sent to Europe.

Belgian reports suggested he could be the mastermind of the Brussels attacks in August but he is now believed to have coordinated both operations from Syria.

Atar hired the two Iraqi suicide bombers who blew themselves up near the Stade de France, Le Monde reported, and is believed to have received plans for the Brussels attacks from a linked terror cell before they were launched on 22 March.

He is also related to Ibrahim el-Bakraoui, who detonated a suitcase bomb at Zaventem Airport, and his younger brother Khalid who detonated his device at Maalbeek Metro station.

“Atar is the mentor and cousin of the El Bakraoui brothers. He radicalised them through the internet,” a Belgian law enforcement official told Politico.

In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport Show all 30 1 /30 In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport A man carries an injured person in Brussels Airport, after explosions ripped through the departure hall In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport Travellers get to their feet in a smoke filled terminal at Brussels Airport after explosions In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport A man is wounded in Brussels Airport in Brussels In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport A man speaks on a mobile phone in Brussels Airport, after the explosions ripped through the departure hall In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport Belgian police officers detain a man at the Gare du Midi train station in Brussels In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport A police officer stands guard as people are evacuated from Brussels airport, after explosions rocked the facility in Brussels In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport People stand near Brussels airport after being evacuated following explosions that rocked the facility in Brussels In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport Crew and passengers are evacuated from Zaventem Bruxelles International Airport after an attack in Brussels In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport Passengers gather near Brussels airport in Zaventem, following its evacuation after blasts rocked the main terminal of Brussels airport In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport Two women wounded in Brussels Airport in Brussels In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport Passengers and airport staff are evacuated from the terminal building after explosions at Brussels Airport in Zaventem near Brussels In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport Passengers and airport staff are evacuated from the terminal building after explosions at Brussels Airport in Zaventem near Brussels In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport Broken windows seen at the scene of explosions at Zaventem airport near Brussels In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport People leave the scene of explosions at Zaventem airport near Brussels In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport People are evacuated from the scene after two explosions were heard at Brussels Airport In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport People wait outside of the Brussels Airport after evacuation In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport People leave the airport area after explosions at Brussels Airport in Zaventem In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport Passengers comfort each other as they are evacuated from the terminal building after explosions at Brussels Airport in Zaventem In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport People react as they walk away from Brussels airport after explosions rocked the facility in Brussels In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport Emergency services attend the scene of explosions at Zaventem airport near Brussels Reuters In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport Injured people at the scene at Brussels Airport after two explosions were heard PA In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport The aftermath of the explosions at Brussels airport PA In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport People wait outside of the Zaventem airport after two explosions were heard PA In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport Emergency services at the scene of explosions at Brussels Airport In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport A view of the scene after the explosions at Brussels airport PA In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport Emergency services at the scene of explosions at Zaventem airport near Brussels Reuters In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport The aftermath of the explosions at Brussels airport PA In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport The view of the Brussels airport after the explosion PA In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport Smoke is seen at Brussels airport in Brussels AP In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport A photo shows cars on a blocked highway near Zaventem, Brussels National airport, after two explosions rocked the main hall of Brussels Airport Getty Images

The extremist is reported to have travelled to the Middle East in 2002, claiming to work for a charity, but was arrested in the Iraqi city of Ramadi for illegally crossing the border from Syria in 2005.

His 25-year prison sentence was reduced to 10 on appeal, with Atar held in notorious jails including Abu Ghraib prison and Camp Bucca, where he reportedly met Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, now the self-appointed “caliph” of Isis.

Following a campaign by his relatives and humanitarian groups, the Belgian government intervened to have Atar released and repatriated from Iraq.

He returned in 2012 and was arrested while trying to flee to Tunisia the following year, disappearing after his release.

An alert was sent to French intelligence agencies in June reporting he intended to travel to France via Albania upon his return from Syria.

But Atar remains at large, having been unsuccessfully targeted by terror raids including searches in March and August.

His younger brother, Yassine, was arrested in March on suspicion of terror offences, when with explosive residue found on his body.

European authorities are still attempting to uncover a network of Isis supporters linked to the Paris and Brussels attacks, as well as prevent new terror plots.