A man wanted in connection with the deadly Paris terror attacks was stopped by police near the Belgian border but released after an ID check.
Four French officials said that they had Salah Abdeslam, 26, in their grasp, when they stopped a car carrying him and two other men near the Belgian border.
By then, hours had passed since authorities identified him as the renter of a car that carried hostage takers to the Paris theater where so many were killed.
Three French police officials and a top French security official said police officers let Abdeslam go after checking his ID.
They spoke on condition of anonymity.
French police have put out a photo of Abdeslam, saying the Belgian is on the run and too dangerous for anyone outside law enforcement to engage directly.
