Belgium releases terrorist attack suspect due to lack of evidence
Belgian authorities released the only suspect to have been arrested directly in relation to the Brussels terror attacks, citing a lack of evidence. Faycal Cheffou was reported to have been heavily involved in Tuesday's terrorist attacks when he was detained last week; he was released Monday after he was mistakenly identified as the "man in the hat" who appears in widely circulated airport surveillance footage shot just before the attacks. Authorities renewed their call for information about the man in the hat on Monday, though, apparently further distancing Cheffou from the attacks.
The New York Times calls Cheffou's release a "stunning setback" for Belgium's anti-terrorism efforts. Belgian officials also acknowledged last week that they had failed to act on warnings from Turkey to arrest Ibrahim el-Bakraoui, one of the suicide bombers, after that country had briefly arrested him last year on suspicion of terrorist activity. Tuesday's bombings killed at least 35 people.
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