Who was Salah Abdeslam and what was his alleged role in the Paris attacks?

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Map of central Paris showing locations targeted during the November 13, 2015 attacks, marked with numbered circles. The map includes symbols for explosion and shooting locations and outlines the city boundary. A timeline on the left lists each attack site and event details, including Stade de France, Rue Alibert, La Casa Nostra, La Belle Equipe, Bataclan, Cafe Comptoir Voltaire, and Saint-Denis. — Paris attacks of 2015 Significant sites related to the terrorist attacks in Paris on November 13, 2015.

Salah Abdeslam was a native of the Molenbeek commune in Brussels, Belgium, who became a central figure in the investigation of the November 2015 Paris attacks.

His alleged role in the terrorist plot included logistical support and direct participation. Investigators determined that Abdeslam rented several vehicles used by the attackers and was believed to have served as the driver for the suicide bombers at the Stade de France. Additionally, evidence suggested he may have been intended to carry out a suicide bombing himself, as a bomb belt identical to those used by other attackers was discovered in a suburb where his mobile phone had been traced.1

Following the attacks, Abdeslam evaded capture for four months before being arrested in Brussels in March 2016. He was subsequently tried in France, where he was found guilty of his role in the attacks and sentenced to a "whole life" prison term, the most severe penalty within the French criminal justice system.1