Salah Abdeslam, a suspect in the November Paris attacks in which 130 people died, is cooperating with police but will refuse extradition to France, his lawyer said today, reportsd RTE.
"He is cooperating with Belgian justice," Sven Mary told reporters in Brussels. "France is asking for his extradition. I can tell you that we will refuse the extradition to France."
French President François Hollande met with key cabinet ministers and security officials to discuss how to proceed following the arrest.
As well as Prime Minister Manuel Valls, the meeting included the interior, defence, justice and foreign ministers, top security officials and the armed forces chief.
"The goal, following the arrest of [Salah] Abdeslam and several of his accomplices, is to review operations that are under way and the fight against terrorist groups in France and Europe," a member of President Hollande's entourage said.
Abdeslam, Europe's most wanted man who allegedly helped plan the November 13th attacks was captured in a dramatic raid by armed police in Brussels yesterday.
Abdeslam, 26, and four other suspects were arrested in the gritty Brussels neighbourhood of Molenbeek.
President Hollande, whose embattled presidency will be partly defined by his response to the worst terror attacks on French soil, said Paris would request Abdeslam's extradition from Belgium "as rapidly as possible".
With Belgium having arrested a series of people over links with Abdeslam, Hollande said many more were involved in the Paris attacks than originally believed.
The arrest of Abdeslam has been described as a "major blow" to the so-called Islamic State group according to France's interior minister, Bernard Cazeneuve.
"The operations of the past week have enabled us to incapacitate several individuals who are clearly extremely dangerous and totally determined," Mr Cazeneuve said.
"We will win the war against terrorism by acting without truce or let-up," he said.
On Wednesday four suspected Islamists were arrested in Paris, one of whom was thought to be planning "violent acts", Mr Cazeneuve said.
He played down reports that an attack had been "imminent" and said the authorities "carry out arrests of this kind every day."
President Hollande, however, has said the "threat level remains very high."
Meanwhile mayor of Brussels,Yvan Mayeur, has said Abdeslam and another terror suspect have left hospital, not saying where they have been taken.
Interpol has said it has sent an advisory to member states to be extra vigilant at border controls because the arrest of Paris attacks suspect Salah Abdeslam could encourage accomplices to flee Europe.