Brussels Attacks Trial: Profile of Key Suspect Ali El Haddad Asufi Emerges

Born in Berchem-Sainte-Agathe, Ali El Haddad Asufi, a close friend of Ibrahim El Bakraoui, one of the Zaventem bombers, has always resided in Brussels. He was hired in 2014 as a driver-deliveryman at Zaventem airport and was responsible for bringing meals to the planes, reports bx1. A practicing Sunni Muslim believer, the Belgian-Moroccan with a clean criminal record before his conviction to 10 years in prison in France for the November 13, 2015 attacks in Paris, is defended in Brussels by Me Jonathan De Taye.

His phone number, known to the anti-terrorist unit of the federal judicial police of Brussels due to his links with several accused in the Paris attacks, was detected near Zaventem airport where he worked on March 22, 2016, the date on which Ibrahim El Bakraoui blew himself up. Two days later, on March 24, he was arrested and his home was searched. According to his statements at the hearing, Ibrahim El Bakraoui was indoctrinated into the Islamic State ideology by his cousin Oussama Atar, considered by investigators to be the leader of the terrorist cell.

Released on March 25 after being heard, he was arrested again on June 9, 2016, based on new evidence, including an audio message in which the suicide bomber Najim Laachraoui declares that a "brother" informed him of