Catalan ex-leader arrested in Germany on Spanish warrant

Carles Puigdemont, the fugitive ex-leader of Catalonia and ardent separatist, was arrested Sunday by German police on an international warrant as he tried to enter the country from Denmark.

Puigdemont was on his way back to Belgium where he has been staying since fleeing Spain following a failed bid by his regional government in October to declare independence from Spain, said his lawyer, Jaume Alonso-cuevillas.

The Spanish government told The Associated Press it had received “official confirmation from German authorities of the arrest” of Puigdemont in response to the warrant issued by Spain’s Supreme Court.

Spanish state prosecutor said it was in contact with its German counterparts to carry out its request to extradite Puigdemont to Spain, where he faces charges including rebellion that could put him in prison for up to 30 years.

German highway police arrested Puigdemont on Sunday morning near the A7 highway that leads into Germany, police in the northern state of Schleswig-holstein said.

State prosecutors in the northern town of Schleswig are now in charge, but they couldn’t be immediately reached for further details.

German news agency dpa said that Puigdemont was taken to a prison in the northern town of Neumuenster.