Belgium confirms European arrest warrant concerning Youssef Belhaj

Belgium justice department confirmed Tuesday Spain issued a European arrest warrant regarding the extradition of Moroccan national Youssef Belhaj, suspected of involvement in the terrorist attacks of March 11, 2004, in Madrid.

The accused defence has 24 hours to submit an appeal, or the extradition "will take place within ten days," spokesman of the Belgian federal prosecution, Van Heers said.

Youssef Belhadj, 28, suspected to be a spokesman of Al Qaeda in Europe, was arrested on February 1st in Brussels hours after four Moroccans were arrested in Spain.

He was arrested a first time in March 2004 in Belgium part of an investigation on the Islamist Moroccan Fighters Group (French acronym GICM) and released By the end of June for "lack of charges," according to the Belgian federal prosecutor.

Youssef Belhaj is a relative of Mimoun Belhadj, arrested in February in Morocco after he was extradited from Syria part of an investigation meant to dismantle terrorist cells.