UK man convicted of assisting key suspect in Brussels and Paris bombings

London: A British man was convicted of providing cash to a key suspect in the deadly Brussels and Paris bombings. Zakaria Boufassil was found guilty at Kingston Crown Court of engaging in conduct in preparation of acts of terrorism by providing £3,000 to bombing suspect Mohamed Abrini at a secret meeting in Birmingham, England.[caption id="attachment_3143090" align="alignleft" width="380"] 16 people were killed when Brussels airport was attacked on 22 March, 2016. AP[/caption]Abrini is the "man in the hat" seen on video footage moments before the deadly 22 March bombings at Brussels airport that killed 16 people. He is also wanted in the 13 November, 2015, attacks on Paris.Prosecutors said that Abrini visited England in July 2015 and received the cash from Boufassil, 26, and Mohammed Ali Ahmed, 27, who earlier pleaded guilty, at a rendezvous in a park.Boufassil told the court during the trial that he was a marijuana user who practiced a "moderate and tolerant" form of Islam. He condemned Islamic State extremists as "worse than animals". He admitted meeting Abrini in the park, but said it had nothing to do with extremism.But the jury endorsed prosecutors' claim that he knowingly provided the money for use in militant attacks. Prosecutor Max Hill said there is "no doubt" the money was given to Abrini to assist acts of terrorism.Marcus Beale, assistant chief of the West Midlands Police, said the conviction was important because the money transfer "identified a dangerous link" to Abrini. He said the two men may face long prison sentences.The two men will be sentenced on 12 December. The maximum penalty is life imprisonment.