Madrid probe leads to Germany, Morocco

The investigation into the Madrid train bombings led to Germany and Morocco yesterday as police searched on for the mastermind of Europe's deadliest bomb attack in 15 years.

In Germany, police searched the apartment of a Moroccan man who is one of those under arrest in Spain, and prosecutors said they were probing his possible links to terrorist groups.

In Morocco, police arrested a man in the northern city of Tetouan who had maps of the Madrid train stations that came under attack, the newspaper Al Ahdath al Maghribia reported, citing security sources.

That would make him the first suspect arrested outside Spain. Authorities put him under surveillance after his name popped up on a Spanish police list of people possibly connected to the bombings, the newspaper said.

Spanish investigators have called on foreign police and intelligence services in looking for the plotters and bombers who carried out what is believed to be al Qaeda's first major attack in the West since the September 11, 2001 strikes against the United States.