Spanish judge jails 16 al-Qaida suspects
A Spanish judge has jailed 16 suspected al-Qaida terrorists pending further investigation and a possible extradition request from French authorities probing a failed bomb plot, court sources said.
The 16 men arrested on Friday in Barcelona and other cities in northeast Spain denied any links to al Qaida, the sources at the National Court said.
Spanish authorities have said they were connected to the terrorist network led by Osama bin Laden and that police who arrested them at home found explosives, chemicals, timers and other electronic equipment for making bombs, false passports and other documents.
Investigating magistrate Guillermo Ruiz Polanco yesterday ordered them sent to jail after 90 minutes of questioning at the National Court.
His arrest order on Friday stemmed from a request from French judicial authorities probing a foiled plot to attack targets in the French city of Strasbourg in 2001.
National Court sources said the had ordered the 15 Algerians and a Moroccan sent to prison while he awaits word from France on whether it wants them extradited and while Spanish authorities carry out further analysis of the seized material.
The judge did not formally charge the 16 with anything. France has 40 days to request their extradition.
There was no word on the suspects’ alleged link to suspected terrorists arrested recently in Britain.
That allegation came from the Spanish government on Friday when it announced the arrests.
Officials said the 16 were linked to suspects arrested recently in Britain and France and were planning to attack unspecified targets.
British authorities believe some of the suspects arrested in Spain had recently visited London, according to the Times newspaper in London.
