Salah Abdeslam, 26, allegedly made the shock confession on Tuesday night - three days after the attacks that left 129 dead.
He reportedly confided in the friend as he was holed up in a Brussels safe house.
It is now thought the Friday 13th bomber and planner is also on the run from IS.
French investigators are reported to believe he may have panicked or had second thoughts and failed to carry out his suicide attack last Friday.
The pal of Salah said:"I met him on Tuesday night but not for long.
"He told me they had gone too far and he was overwhelmed by what was happening, but he couldn't hand himself in because of the consequences for his family. He also fears reprisals from IS.
 |
| 129 were killed in the attacks in Paris, including 89 at the Bataclan |
"He said he wanted to get a message to his brother and warned over radicalization."
Mohamed Abdeslam, Salah's brother, was previously arrested over the attacks but released. He has appeared on TV urging his brother to hand himself in.
A third brother, Ibrahim, 31, blew himself up outside Paris's Comptoir Voltaire cafe during the attacks last Friday, injuring three but killing only himself.
The shock confession came as it emeraged Mohamed Khoualed, 19 - the man suspected of building the Paris attackers' suicide vests - had handed himself in to French cops in Lille after they had found C4 explosives at his home.
It had been feared he had teamed up with Salah and the pair were on the run together.
It also comes after the mastermind behind the Paris attacks had earlier confirmed dead.
Mohamed Abdeslam, Salah's brother, was previously arrested over the attacks but released. He has appeared on TV urging his brother to hand himself in.
A third brother, Ibrahim, 31, blew himself up outside Paris's Comptoir Voltaire cafe during the attacks last Friday, injuring three but killing only himself.
 |
| Abdelhamid Abaaoud was behind Friday's attacks |
The shock confession came as it emeraged Mohamed Khoualed, 19 - the man suspected of building the Paris attackers' suicide vests - had handed himself in to French cops in Lille after they had found C4 explosives at his home.
It had been feared he had teamed up with Salah and the pair were on the run together.
It also comes after the mastermind behind the Paris attacks had earlier confirmed dead.
Source: Agencies
