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Belgium Charges Third Suspect in Foiled Terror Plot; Brussels Airport to Reopen

Authorities charged a third suspect Saturday in connection with a foiled French terror attack, according to the Belgian federal prosecutor.
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Authorities charged a third suspect in connection with a foiled French terror attack, the Belgian federal prosecutor said Saturday.

The 33-year-old suspect — a Belgian national identified only as Y.A. by the prosecutor — was arrested as part of the investigation into Reda Kriket, a French terror suspect officials nabbed two days after bombers attacked Brussels' airport and subway on March 22.

Kriket's apartment in the French suburb of Argenteuil was full of an "unprecedented" number of weapons, including assault rifles and explosives, the Paris prosecutor said earlier this week. His arrest was part of a sweep of terror suspects following the Brussels attacks that killed more than 30 and injured 270 others, but was not directly tied to the Belgium bombings.

Image: BELGIUM-ATTACKS
A woman reacts during a minute of silence held at a makeshift memorial in front of Brussel's Stock Exchange on Place de la Bourse on March 24, 2016, two days after a triple bomb attack claimed by ISIS.PHILIPPE HUGUEN / AFP - Getty Images

Two others, identified as Abderamane A. and Rabah N., were arrested last week in connection with the same alleged plot, Belgian officials said. Another suspected accomplice — named as Anis B. — was arrested in the Netherlands.

Meanwhile, the head of the Brussels Airport said Saturday that some passenger flights will resume Sunday for the first time since twin blasts exploded at the international airport seconds apart. Three flights to Faro, Portugal, Turin, Italy, and Athens, Greece, are scheduled.

Related: Belgium Town Kortrijk Scoured for Suspect Linked to Terror Suspect Reda Kriket

"These flights are the first hopeful sign from an airport that is standing up straight after a cowardly attack. That we are able to make this start only 12 days after the devastating attacks is a sign of our collective strength at Brussels Airport,” said airport CEO Arnaud Feit.

Passengers will be dropped off at parking lots before being taken to check-in, and special arrangements have been made for checking in luggage, Feit said. He added that he hoped full passenger service would be restored by June or July in time for summer vacation season.

Delta said Saturday it was suspending service from its hub in Atlanta to Brussels until March 2017 "due to the continued uncertainty surrounding the re-opening of Brussels airport and weakening demand."

Belgium is still roiling from the attacks. Police and soldiers dispersed throughout the capital of Brussels on Saturday to arrest people who broke bans on demonstrations, with more than a dozen left-wing protesters arrested in the Bourse neighborhood.