A possible Russian citizen detained in Spain last week on suspicion of belonging to al-Qaeda has been identified as one of the terrorist group’s 15 leaders in Europe, according to Spanish media reports.
The man, which Spanish news agency EFE has identified as Eldar Magomedov, was one of three men arrested by local police on August 1 on suspicion of planning a terrorist attack on Spanish soil. The police seized explosives and poisonous substances, according to Spain’s Interior Ministry.
Local media have reported that two of the men are Russian citizens and, citing police sources, one of them has confessed to training under al-Qaeda in Afghanistan.
Russian law enforcement agencies have not yet commented on the case.
