Belgium to hand over Paris attacks suspect Abdeslam to France

Belgium's federal prosecutors said on Thursday that a Belgian court decided that the Paris attacks suspect, Salah Abdeslam, would be extradited to France.

His lawyer said earlier that Abdeslam had dropped his initial objection to be repatriated and had also decided to cooperate with French authorities, probing the Nov. 13 Paris attacks that killed 130 people.

Belgium's prosecutors said that France and Belgium would discuss how to proceed with the transfer, which French Justice Ministry said should take place within the next 10 days.

"Salah Abdeslam wishes to be transferred to the French authorities," lawyer Cedric Moisse told reporters. "He wishes to cooperate with the French authorities."

Abdeslam was arrested in Brussels on March 18. He answered some investigators' questions, but then refused to answer other questions, following the suicide bombings in Brussels on March 22 that killed 32 people.

Investigators believe the attacks in Paris and Brussels were carried out by DAESH.