European hunt gathers pace

Belgium raised the death toll from the Brussels attacks to 35 and charged three terror suspects yesterday as police across Europe stepped up efforts to unravel an Islamic State network linked to the carnage.

Police released a new video of a third suspect in the March 22 Zaventem airport attack, the so-called "man in the hat" seen with two other suicide bombers, who escaped after his bomb failed to explode.

The sole suspect charged over attacks was released yesterday following a lack of evidence linking him to the carnage, Belgian prosecutors said.

"The indications that led to the arrest of Faycal C. were not substantiated by the ongoing inquiry. As a result, the subject has been released by the examining magistrate," the federal prosecutor's office said in a statement, without giving further details.

Announcing the new death toll, Belgian Health Minister Maggie De Block tweeted: "Four patients deceased in hospital. Medical teams did all possible. Total victims: 35. Courage to all the families."

Prosecutors' spokeswoman Ine Van Wymersch confirmed the new death toll to reporters at the government crisis centre, adding that it did not include the three attackers.

Twenty-eight victims had been formally identified, she said.

Belgian prosecutors said three men arrested at the weekend in a series of raids had been charged with participation in the activities of a terrorist group," while a fourth person had been released.

Meanwhile, a French judge has extended the detention of the main suspect in what officials said was a foiled terror attack, a judicial source said yesterday.

Reda Kriket, who is linked to the suspected ringleader of the Paris attacks, was arrested on Thursday in a suburb of the French capital in a raid in which police also found several assault rifles and explosives.