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Paris attacks suspect guilty of attempted murder in Belgium

Handout file picture shows Belgian-born Salah Abdeslam on a call for witnesses notice released by the French Police Nationale information services on their twitter account November 15, 2015. Police Nationale/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - A Belgian court has found Paris attacks suspect Salah Abdeslam guilty of attempted terrorist murder of police during a shootout with police in Brussels in March 2016, Belgian news agency Belga said on Monday.

Neither Abdeslam nor co-accused Sofien Ayari, who Belga said was also found guilty, were in court to hear the ruling on Monday. The judge was continuing to read the verdict.

Abdeslam is in a French prison awaiting trial for his role in the Islamic State attack on Paris in November 2015. Prosecutors say he is lone survivor of the IS suicide squad.

(Reporting by Philip Blenkinsop; Editing by Alastair Macdonald)