Madrid bomb suspect detained

A Belgrade judge has ordered a key suspect in the Madrid bombings to be detained pending his possible extradition to Spain.

Serbian police confirmed today that they had arrested Abdelmajid Bouchar, a 22-year-old Moroccan, wanted in connection with the March 2004 attacks that killed 191 people in Madrid.

Serbian Interior Minister Dragan Jocic told the Associated Press that Bouchar was arrested in June, but that his identity was confirmed on Tuesday, when the information about his arrest was made public in Spain.

Judge Branislav Pantelic said today he ordered Bouchar detained pending a possible extradition hearing. Suspects can be held for up to a year on such orders.

Spain’s National Court has said it would seek his extradition, the Spanish state news agency Efe reported.

Bouchar was arrested in Belgrade, on June 26, during a routine check on a train that arrived in the Serbian capital from the northern city of Subotica, Jocic said.

The suspect had no identification on him and was extremely well-dressed, which aroused the suspicion of Belgrade police, Jocic added.

Bouchar first told Serbian police he was from Iraq, but his alleged identity turned out to be false, said Jocic. Serbian police then turned to Interpol for help in identifying the suspect and Madrid Interpol confirmed his identity two days ago, Jocic said.

Jocic would not reveal any further details about Bouchar’s whereabouts or what he was doing in Belgrade. He said an investigation was underway, but that the police believed he was in transit through Serbia.

“This is an example of good co-operation (with Spain) and Serbia’s resolve to deal with terrorism and organised crime,” Jocic told the Associated Press.

“Serbia is part of a European front against terrorism,” he said.

Spanish authorities had issued an international warrant for Bouchar’s arrest. Bouchar has the right to appeal an extradition order, so the entire procedure could take weeks.

The March 11 attacks on Madrid’s commuter rail network killed 191 people and wounded more than 1,500 others. Islamic militants claimed responsibility, saying they acted on behalf of al-Qaida in revenge for the presence of Spanish troops in Iraq.

The Spanish judge investigating the bombings has jailed 31 people – mostly Moroccans or Spaniards of Moroccan origin – in connection with the train bombings. About 70 others have been questioned and released but are still considered suspects. A trial in Spain is not expected until next year.

On April 3 2004, Bouchar and the other accused ringleaders in the Madrid attacks were holed up in a suburban Madrid apartment when the police came to arrest them, Spanish investigators said.

They said Bouchar, who had gone down to the street to empty the rubbish, spotted the police and shouted out in Arabic to warn his colleagues. He then took off running, escaping before the others blew themselves up to avoid arrest, investigators say.