The Spanish government Friday formally began extradition proceedings for suspected Islamic radical Rabei Osman Sayed Ahmed, known as “Mohamed the Egyptian,” who was arrested Tuesday in Italy on suspicion of playing a key role in the deadly morning rush-hour train bombings in Madrid exactly three months ago. The Spanish cabinet formally approved the extradition request, as is required by law. An Interior Ministry official said Ahmed would be charged with multiple counts of murder, planning a terrorist act and involvement in a terrorist organization. In a telephone interview, the official said that Spanish investigators “have yet to receive concrete evidence regarding Mohamed the Egyptian’s precise links with the terrorist attacks in Madrid” but added that more information would soon be released by the courts. Following Spanish government practice, the official spoke on condition of anonymity. Italian officials said Ahmed had been under surveillance for several months and apparently boasted in a series of intercepted phone conversations that he had been involved since 2001 in planning the Madrid attacks. The Italian anti-terror police said they moved quickly to arrest Ahmed and another man in Milan when it became apparent that the men were in the final stages of planning a new attack in Europe. Full Story
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