Brussels bomber was a former European Parliament employee

The European Parliament in Belgium
(Image credit: Ben Pruchnie/Getty Images)

One of the Brussels suicide bombers worked a summer job as a cleaner at the European Parliament, officials revealed on Thursday. Although the spokesman for the E.U. did not name the bomber in his statement, a police source told NBC News that the attacker in question was Najim Laachraoui, who is believed to have made the bombs for the Paris terror attacks in November as well. Laachraoui detonated a suicide bomb at the Brussels airport on March 22.

"As a student, he held a summer holiday job at the parliament for one month in 2009 and one month in 2010. As required by the contract, the cleaning firm submitted proof of the absence of a criminal record," the spokesman said.

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Jeva Lange

Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.