[4] Laachraoui was born in Ajdir, Taza Province, Morocco but raised in the Schaerbeek neighbourhood of Brussels, where he attended a Catholic high school.

The Islamic State confirmed that he was responsible for preparing all of the explosives used during the November 2015 Paris attacks and the 2016 Brussels bombings.

[10] In February 2016, Laachraoui was suspected of involvement with a possible terrorist cell led by Khalid Zerkani, who recruited fighters in Syria, including Abdelhamid Abaaoud, the organiser of the November 2015 Paris attacks.

[5][11] Laachraoui is also believed to have made the suicide vests used in the attacks against the Bataclan theatre and the Stade de France in Paris.

[4] In July 2016, IS released a video celebrating several terrorist attacks that took place during the month of Ramadan showing Mohamed Belkaid,[12] and Laachraoui and displaying his nom de guerre Abu Idris al-Beljiki.