Traces of explosives found at Belgium apartment in connection with Paris attacks

Explosives used in the 13 November Paris attacks may have been made in an apartment in Brussels, according to a statement from Belgian prosecutors on Friday.

During a police raid on 10 December, material that could be used to make explosives, traces of explosive acetone peroxide and handmade belts were discovered at the apartment.

The apartment, located in the district of Schaerbeek, was rented under a false name and police found a fingerprint of a key fugitive.

Investigators believed the explosives were likely packed into suicide belts in a hotel outside Paris ahead of the attacks that killed 130 people, Belgian newspaper De Standaard reported on Friday.

A fingerprint from Salah Abdeslam, the brother of one of the suspects, was also discovered.

He returned from Paris the morning after the attacks and is yet to be found.

De Standaard reported that investigators believe the fingerprint indicates Abdeslam used the flat as a safe house after the attacks as it had been cleaned up partially. However, they do not know how long he stayed at the apartment.

Abdeslam is linked to many of the suspects arrested in Belgium. Two of those arrested drove from Brussels hours after the attacks to pick Abdeslam up. Another drove him from one part of Brussels to Schaerbeek after his return.

Authorities have arrested 10 people in connection with the attacks, including two who had been living in Brussels and Belgium.