Gunman killed in Belgium raid wanted to die as IS suicide bomber

The Algerian gunman, linked to Paris attacks and killed during the Brussels raid, said he wanted to die as an Islamic State suicide bomber.

The Algerian gunman newly linked to the November 13 attacks in Paris after being killed by police joined the Islamic State group in 2014 and said he wanted to die as a suicide bomber, bypassing the choice to be a fighter.

A policeman stands guard the streets at Rue de la Carpe after the police set a security perimeter in Molenbeek-Saint-Jean in Brussels. (AFP Photo)

Previously unknown to authorities, Mohamed Belkaid was shot to death on Tuesday in a raid that led to fugitive Salah Abdeslam.

In exclusive documents given to The Associated Press by the Syrian opposition news site, Zama al-Wsl, Belkaid said he had travelled throughout Europe and had no experience as a jihadi as he crossed into Syria on April 19, 2014.

On Friday, officials said Balkaid was “most probably” an accomplice of Abdeslam, whose fake Belgian ID was used to pay for the hideout of the Paris attack ringleader.