Ibrahim Farisi, whose brother Smail was held on Wednesday, has now also been arrested in the run-up to the trial over the 22 March 2016 terror attacks in Brussels and Zaventem, according to media reports confirmed by his lawyer.
Smail Farisi was the man who originally leased an apartment in Etterbeek - where terror suspect Ossama Krayem and suicide bomber Khalid El Bakraoui had been hiding - in order to collect social welfare benefits while still living with his parents, and to meet with his girlfriend.
He lent it to Khalid El Bakraoui at his request and after the attack on 22 March, he and his brother Ibrahim emptied the flat and cleaned it from top to bottom.
Both brothers had been placed under arrest during the investigation into the attacks but were the only ones released.
The federal prosecutor's office asked for them to be referred to the criminal court, but both the Council Chamber and the Indictment Chamber decided that they, like the eight other suspects in the case, should stand trial in the Assise Court.
The preliminary hearing for the trial will take place at the Assise Court on Monday. As a result, the federal prosecutor's office decided to have both brothers arrested.
Smail Farisi was arrested on Wednesday, and on Thursday evening, Ibrahim, accompanied by his lawyer, Xavier Carrette, presented himself to the federal police in Brussels. From there he was transferred to the Leuze-en-Hainaut Prison.
Master Carrette has already announced that on Friday he will submit a request for release. He said the application would be dealt with by the Assise Court on Monday.
