Belgian Police Arrest 16 People, Paris Fugitive Salah Abdeslam Was Not One of Them

Nov 23, 2015 01:18 AM EST

On Monday, Belgian prosecutor announced that police had detained 16 people in 22 raids. However, among the 16 people who were arrested,  Paris fugitive Salah Abdeslam was not included.

According to Time.com latest report, Federal prosecutor Eric Van Der Sypt said there were 19 raids carried out in Molenbeek and other boroughs of Brussels, while the rest were carried out in other cities.

"We have to stress that no firearms or explosives were discovered ... during the raids," Van Der Sypt said." Certain elements in the investigation made Sunday's intervention necessary. The investigation will in any case be relentlessly continued," he added.

All weekend, Brussels has been lockdown all weekend for the manhunt for suspected Paris attacker Salah Abdeslam. Meanwhile. on BBC's recent report, Brussels, the capital of Belgium, and home to the headquarters of the European Union, extended alert due to 'imminent threat.' Belgium's Prime Minister Charles Michel released a statement, saying, "Brussels will stay on the highest level of terror alert because of the "serious and imminent" threat of Paris-style attacks." Belgian PM added that schools, universities and the metro would stay shut. 

Time added that Belgian PM announced that schools and universities in Brussels will be closed on Monday, and subway also remains shut down. After a chairing meeting of Belgium's National Security Council, Michael said, "We fear an attack like in Paris, with several individuals, perhaps in several places." 

BBC released the picture of a suicide bomber, which was issued by French police in connection with the Paris attacks. This a man was reportedly arrived in Greece under the name of M al-Mahmod.

The BBC's correspondent Ed Thomas was able to match the image released by French police with a photo on the arrival papers of a man who arrived in the Greek island of Leros on October 3.