Catalan Former Leader Carles Puigdemont Held By German Police

Carles Puigdemont 

Fugitive Catalan ex-leader Carles Puigdemont has been detained in Germany on Spanish arrest warrant, police in the state of Schleswig-Holstein said in a statement, AL JAZEERA reports.

Puigdemont was stopped near the Danish border with Germany, a spokesperson of his party said on Sunday.

The ex-leader is being sought by Spanish authorities on charges of rebellion after he led his separatist movement in a bid for an independent Catalonia.

Puigdemont had recently left Finland before authorities there could act on a European warrant against him.

German police said they arrested Puigdemont in the northern state of Schleswig-Holstein on the arrest warrant, which was issued by Spain.

In a statement, police said the Catalan ex-leader was detained near a section of the A7 highway, which cuts through the state from the city of Flensburg near the Danish border.

Police did not say exactly where Puigdemont was being held.

"Schleswig-Holstein police are at this point in time unable to provide more details," it said, other than that Puigdemont was taken into custody at 11:19am (09:19 GMT).

Prior to his detention in Germany, the former Catalan leader was visiting Finland for talks with lawmakers.

On Saturday, his lawyer confirmed that he left the country to go back to Brussels where he lives in self-imposed exile.

Catalonia protests

Tensions are running high in Catalonia, as separatists abandoned plans to name a new president following the arrest of the latest candidate, Jordi Turull.

On Friday, the Spanish Supreme Court ruled that 25 Catalan leaders be tried for rebellion, embezzlement or disobeying the state. Crowds of protesters in Spain's Catalonia region clashed with police after the Supreme Court stepped up legal action against separatists.






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