Madrid suspect faces extradition

The rush-hour bombings of four Madrid trains killed 191 people

A Belgian court has cleared the way for a suspected Islamic militant to be sent to Spain where he is wanted in connection with the Madrid bombings.

Youssef Belhadj is due to be extradited "soon" after Belgium's supreme court of appeal rejected his appeal.

He is suspected of being the al-Qaeda European spokesman who claimed responsibility for the 11 March 2004 train bombings in a videotape.

Mr Belhadj, 28, denies being involved in the attacks which killed 191 people.

'Rapid extradition'

"We will do what is necessary to organise Mr Belhadj's rapid transfer to Spain," said court spokesman Lieve Pellens. "It should be within the next ten days, and possibly even sooner."

Moroccan-born Mr Belhadj was first arrested in March 2004 because he was thought to be a member of the Moroccan Islamic Combatant Group.

He was later released due to insufficient evidence.

He was arrested again in Belgium last month after a European arrest warrant was issued by Madrid.

Spanish investigators suspect him of being Abu Dujanah, al-Qaeda's European spokesman who claimed responsibility for the Madrid bombings in a videotape.

Abu Dujanah says on the tape that the attacks were in retaliation for Spain's co-operation with the US, in particular its involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan.

More than 100 suspected Islamic militants have been arrested since the Madrid bombings, but many have been released because of a lack of evidence.