The man captured after a four-month manhunt tells police he was supposed to detonate his explosive device but changed his mind at the last minute

Salah Abdeslam, the prime suspect in November’s Paris attacks, has told police he was supposed to blow himself up at the Stade de France but backed out at the last minute.

François Molins, the French public prosecutor, confirmed Abdeslam had been a key member of the group who carried out the series of bombings and shootings in the city on 13 November, but said the alleged confession should be treated with care and needed to be double checked.



Abdeslam was charged with terrorism offences in Belgium on Saturday after being arrested in a raid in the Brussels suburb of Molenbeek the day before.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Salah Abdeslam cooperating with authorities, says lawyer – video

Abdeslam will fight his extradition to France but was “collaborating” with Belgian investigators, his lawyer said on Saturday.

Molins said at a press conference in Paris on Saturday that Abdeslam’s claim raised questions about why he was in the 18th arrondissement of Paris on the evening of the attacks, after dropping off three other jihadis at the football stadium. Islamic State later claimed responsibility for the attacks including a bombing in the 18th arrondissement, which never happened.



The hunt for Salah Abdeslam The hunt for Salah Abdeslam

Three suicide bombers set off explosive vests outside the stadium after being refused entry. Inside, the president, François Hollande, was watching the France v Germany friendly match.



Investigators who have traced his movements believe Abdeslam drove the others to the stadium in a black Renault Clio later found abandoned. An explosive belt thought to have been worn by him was later discovered in a rubbish bin in the area.

“Salah Abdeslam is a key actor in the attacks in Paris and St Denis (Stade de France). He had a central role in the make-up of the commandos and in the logistical planning of the 13 November attacks,” Molins said.

He added that another central role was in bringing members of the terrorist cells into Europe and that Abdeslam had travelled to several countries where he is believed to have used the Balkan route to bring jihadis to Belgium.

He said investigators had established Abdeslam had rented at least two vehicles used in the Paris attacks, and had bought 12 remote detonators as well as 15l of peroxide used to fabricate the explosives.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Paris attack suspect Salah Abdeslam arrested in Belgium - video report

Molins said cooperation between French and Belgian investigators and magistrates in the case had been “exemplary”, adding that Abdeslam’s arrest was “an immense relief for all especially the families of the victims of the attacks, with whom my thoughts are at this moment.”

Molins explained that Abdeslam had been informed at 4.15pm that he was subject to a European arrest warrant that allows a person being sought to be transferred from one European country to another within a three-month limit from the date of arrest.

Alexandre Plantevin, former anti-terrorist judge, told BFMTV it was “not for Abdeslam to decide” whether he would be extradited or not, and that sooner or later “he will appear before a French judge”.

A four-month international manhunt came to an end on Friday when heavily armed Belgian police tracked Abdeslam to an apartment in Molenbeek, Brussels, 500 metres from where he grew up. As the suspect fled with a man believed to be an accomplice, he was shot in the leg.

Abdeslam appeared before a judge on Saturday and details emerged of how police finally caught the Belgian, thought to be the only surviving member of a 10-strong cell linked to Isis that carried out the attacks on the French capital.

He was officially charged with “participation in terrorist murder” and in the activities of a terrorist organisation.

An accomplice arrested with him, believed to be Amine Choukri, has been similarly charged with “terrorist killings and participating in the activities of a terrorist group”.

President Hollande called an emergency defence council meeting of ministers at the Elysée Palace on Saturday, after which the interior minister, Bernard Cazeneuve, said the arrest was “an important blow against the terrorist organisation Daesh [Islamic State] in Europe”.



The French prime minister, Manuel Valls, welcomed Abdeslam’s arrest but said the terror threat remained very high, adding it was “as high as, if not higher than, we had before 13 November.”

He said: “Other networks, other cells, other individuals in France and in Europe are getting organised to prepare new attacks. We must remain mobilised at a national as well as European level.”