Salah Abdeslam, the man wanted by police in connection with the Paris terror attacks, returned to Brussels "extremely annoyed and maybe ready to blow" himself up, according to the lawyer of one of the men accused of helping him flee France for Belgium.

Carine Couquelet, who represents 21-year-old Hamza Attou, who has been charged over the attacks, said in an interview for French TV news channel LCI that the three people in the car travelling back to Belgium were pulled over by French police three times during the journey.

"Each time they handed over their ID documents," Couquelet said, adding that her client told her that Abdeslam appeared "very calm" during each check.

Hamza Attou was one of two men charged with participating in a terrorist attack and being involved with a terrorist group, following arrests in the Brussels region on Monday. The other man was named as 27-year-old Mohammed Amri.

Couquelet said the three people in the car "spoke very little" during the ride, adding: "My client was very scared. He has not mentioned the presence of firearms [on Abdeslam], but a big jacket, possibly with an explosive belt."

She added: "According to recent statements by my client, Salah was extremely upset and maybe ready to blow."

Abdeslam is the subject of a major manhunt following the attacks in the French capital in which 129 people died and hundreds were injured.

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