Dutch arrest suspect sought by Spain for Islamic attack plans

Dutch authorities have re-arrested a suspected Islamic militant from Pakistan after he was charged by Spain for planning attacks in Europe, the public prosecutor's office said on Friday.

A Spanish court charged 11 Islamists on Thursday with offences related to suicide bombings which it said they had been planning in Barcelona and Germany.

Spain is seeking to extradite Akeel Abassi, 26, who was first arrested by Dutch police in March but released for lack of evidence.

If he agrees to extradition, Dutch authorities will have 10 days to transfer Abassi. If Abassi contests extradition, his case will be heard by an Amsterdam court within two months, a spokesman for the prosecutor's office said.

Of those charged, 10 had been on the brink of carrying out suicide bombings on public transport in Barcelona when they were arrested in January, Spain's High Court said.

Spain requested an international arrest warrant for Abassi, who authorities said had travelled from Spain to Germany to carry out a suicide attack on an unidentified target but then left for the Netherlands without doing so.