al-Qaida linked reporter arrested

A journalist with the Qatar-based television network Al-Jazeera has been arrested in Spain for suspected links with alleged al-Qaida members detained in the country earlier this year.

Syrian-born Tayssir Alouni was arrested at midday in the southern Spanish city of Granada on the order of investigating judge Baltasar Garzon.

Alouni, who has a Spanish passport, was in Spain with his wife to check into possibilities of opening an Al-Jazeera office, a friend said.

Judge Garzon ordered the arrest of 16 suspected al-Qaida members in Barcelona earlier this year. Most of them subsequently were released from detention.

Alouni was taken to Madrid for questioning, Interior Ministry officials said.