Belgium jihad suspect to be extradited from Greece

ATHENS, Greece — A 33-year-old Algerian man with suspected links to the jihadist cell dismantled by Belgian security forces last week agreed on Tuesday to be extradited from Greece, a justice source said.

The suspect “wants to prove his innocence” and a Greek prosecutor has also agreed to meet Belgium’s request for the extradition, the source said.

A judge is expected to finalize the procedure by Wednesday.

According to police, the suspect — who was arrested on Saturday — had previously served jail time in Greece on a robbery conviction but was released nearly a year ago.

The jihadist cell, which was the authorities in Belgium said was plotting to kill police, was dismantled last week in an anti-terror raid in the east of the country that left two suspects dead.

Belgian media have named Abdelhamid Abaaoud, a 27-year-old Belgian of Moroccan descent who remains at large, as the presumed mastermind of the cell.

The foiled attacks in Belgium have led to arrests in several European countries.