Suspected 3/11 ringleader dead

2004-04-04 14:28

Madrid - The suspected ringleader in the Madrid train bombings was among the alleged terrorists who blew themselves up as police moved in to arrest them.

Serhane ben Abdelmajid Farkhet, 35, alias "The Tunisian", was one of those killed, Spain's interior minister, Angel Acebes confirmed.

He said in total three of the four terror suspects who committed suicide had been identified, adding that two or three people may have escaped.

State radio reported that Jamal Ahmidan, 33, also named in one of six arrest warrants issued by the judge leading the March 11 train bombings investigation, was among the dead.

One policeman was also killed and up to 15 people were injured in the blast at a block of flats in the Leganes suburb of Madrid.

"They shouted 'God is great' or something like that" in Arabic just before the explosion, one of the police officers who took part in the swoop told El Pais newspaper.

Acebes said the suspects began shooting at police from a window as they approached the building.

"The special police agents prepared to storm the building and when they started to execute the plan, the terrorists set off a powerful explosion blowing themselves up," Acebes said.

Spain already has 15 suspects in custody and charged in connection with the attack on four commuter trains last month.

Six of them have been charged with mass murder and nine have been accused of collaborating with or belonging to a terrorist organisation.

Eleven of the 15 charged are Moroccan.

- News24