Al Jazeera News :
Fugitive Catalan ex-leader Carles Puigdemont has been detained in Germany, police in the state of Schleswig-Holstein said in a statement. 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.
