US sanctions Brussels terror suspect and Pakistani group

The US Department of State has designated Mohamed Abrini and Pakistani group Jamaat-ul-Ahrar (JuA) as Specially Designated Global Terrorists. Mohamed Abrini is said to be a member of the Europe-based ISIL cell responsible for the November 2015 Paris and March 2016 Brussels attacks, who since his arrest by Belgian authorities has been identified as “the man in white” seen with suicide bombers at Brussels’ Zaventem airport on 22 March, shortly before their attack. JuA is a splinter group of the Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan, and has allegedly staged multiple attacks in the Afghanistan-Pakistan border region, in addition to the Easter Sunday attack in Lahore that killed more than 70 people and injured hundreds more. Department of State press release here.