Belgian national Abaaoud could be commander

A Belgian national who is currently in Syria is suspected of being behind Friday's attacks in Paris, according to a source close to the French investigation.

"He appears to be the brains behind several planned attacks in Europe," the source told Reuters, adding that the man, Abdelhamid Abaaoud, was the investigators' best lead as the person likely behind the killing of at least 129 people in Paris on Friday.

According to RTL Radio, Abaaoud is a 27 year-old from the Molenbeek suburb of Brussels, home to other members of the militant Islamist cell that carried out the attacks.