‘Mother of Satan’ suicide belt recovered from dumpster in Parisian suburb

Possible explosives found in neighbourhood close to where terror suspect fled

A suicide bomber’s belt was found dumped in Paris last night close to where Salah Abdeslam fled  as cops believe he backed out of a deadly attack on a tourist district.

Suicide bomber's belt found in same suburb that Salah Abdeslam fled to

The explosives, with detonator removed, were found in a dustbin in Montrouge the same southern Paris suburb linked to on-the-run Abdeslam by mobile phone records. Cops are investigating the theory that Abdeslam pulled out of striking at his intended target  believed to be popular tourist spot Montmartre, on the 18th arrondissement.

Rescue workers and medics work by victims in Paris restaurant

The district includes France’s legendary Moulin Rouge, its basilica and views over the Eiffel Tower.
A source said: “The belt was found in a dustbin, and is said to be very similar to those worn by the Paris terrorists. Its detonator had been removed.


“The area around the dustbin has been sealed off, and bomb disposal experts are in the area. Judicial police are at the scene, together with forensics experts and anti-terrorist officers.”

The eighth attacker, 26, is thought to have driven the three Stade de France bombers to the stadium before moving on to the 18th arrondissement – where phone records place him during the atrocity.
 
In its statement claiming responsibility for the attacks – which killed 130 - IS also referred to an attack in the 18th arrondissement, where thousands visit its famous Montmartre hill.

A Renault Clio rented by Belgian Abdeslam was found the following day at Porte de Clignancourt, just over a mile directly north of Montmartre.

Phone records suggest Abdeslam then went to Montrouge, in the Hauts-de-Seine region, where he was collected by two friends, Hamza Attou and Mohamed Amri, and driven to Belgium.

This is where the explosive belt was found. Attou, a suspect arrested last weekend, told police that Abdeslam was dropped off in Laeken, near Brussels, and that he seemed "extremely upset".

French cops stopped Abdeslam near to the Belgium border – but he was let go. Brussels is now in lockdown as armed soldiers and cops try to track down the fugitive.

On Saturday the government raised the threat level in and around Brussels to four  the highest level  and deployed hundreds of extra troops around the city.

Police evacuated restaurants in the centre, blocked off roads and called on residents to stay away from windows - as well as making terror arrests. Other raids took place in Molenbeek, the run-down borough of Brussels where Abdeslam lived.