Belgian national Abaaoud could be commander of Paris attacks

PARIS: A Belgian national who is currently believed to be in Syria is suspected of being behind Friday´s attacks in Paris, according to a source close to the French investigation.

"He appears to be the brains behind several planned attacks in Europe," the source told Reuters, adding that the man, Abdelhamid Abaaoud, was the investigators´ best lead as the person likely behind the killing of at least 129 people in Paris on Friday.

According to RTL Radio, Abaaoud is a 27 year-old from the Molenbeek suburb of Brussels, home to other members of the militant Islamist cell that carried out the attacks.

Who is Abaaoud

According to French television reports, Abdelhamid Abaaoud has been seen as public enemy number 1 in Belgium where he masterminded multiple attacks.

Abaaoud also uses the alias Abou Omar Soussi.

It is said Abaooud recruited his own 13 year old brother to fight.

According to a report from earlier this year, Abdelhamid is said to have been heading a jihadist group which was dismantled in January 2015.

However Abaooud is said to have left Belgium for Syria a year earlier in 2014 and later travelled to Greece and continues to evade arrest.

Abaouud maintained presence on online forums but went silent nearly a year ago.

It was earlier reported that he faked his own death in order to evade authorities, according to French media.