French judges order charges against 20 in 2015 Paris attacks

PARIS – French judges investigating the 2015 Islamic State attacks that left 130 people dead in Paris have ordered charges against 20 people, including a Belgian accused of masterminding the attacks who was held for years in Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq before being freed and returned home.

Three of the group, including the alleged mastermind, Oussama Atar, are believed to have died in the group’s final months of fighting in Iraq and Syria.

Also accused is the only survivor of the Paris cell, Salah Abdeslam, who was arrested near his home in Brussels after months on the run. Abdeslam’s brother, Brahim, blew himself up in Paris.

Of the 20, 11 are jailed, three are under house arrest and six face international arrest warrants.

All are charged with terrorism offences. Atar is charged as the leader.

The Nov. 13, 2015, attacks were linked to March 2016 bombings in Brussels.