Released Brussels Suspect Had Alibi: Lawyer

Faycal Cheffou was definitely not the ‘man in the hat’. (Photo:AP)

The Brussels bombings suspect charged with ‘terrorist murder’, but then released on Monday, had a credible alibi and was definitely not the ‘man in the hat’ captured by security cameras at the airport before the blasts, his lawyer said on Tuesday.

Olivier Martins said there was no forensic evidence tying his client, Faycal Cheffou, to the scene, and said he had been charged on the basis of testimony by a taxi driver, who drove the suspected bombers to the airport.

Cheffou was released four days after being detained near the prosecutor’s office in Brussels.

He (Cheffou) was at home, and that could be confirmed by telephone calls. It was possible to confirm where he was with his mobile phone at that moment and at that moment he was at home. I asked the judge for his release as a matter of urgency.

Olivier Martins, lawyer

Some media reports had said that Cheffou was the man pictured at Brussels airport alongside two others who blew themselves up, and his release was a major blow to an investigation that had led to several people being detained for lessers offences elsewhere in Belgium and in the Netherlands, Italy and France.