Madrid 'bomb mastermind' seized in raid

The man suspected of making the Madrid terrorist train bombs has been arrested in Italy in a dramatic raid by anti-terror police.

Police say Rabei Osman Ahmed, 33, known as "Mohammed the Egyptian", was detained as part of a massive antiterrorist police operation which also targeted suspected al Qaeda militants in France, Spain and Belgium.

Police believe Rabei is an explosives expert and his arrest is seen as a major breakthrough in the inquiry into the 11 March attacks.

The bombs killed 191 people and injured up to 2,000 in March.

Seven suspects blew themselves up days after the atrocity and 20 more, mostly Moroccans, have been charged.

Rabei is said to have lived in Spain for a period leading up to the atrocity, and had close ties to ringleader Serhane Fakhet. Fakhet, known as "The Tunisian" was one of the seven who blew themselves up after the bombings.

Rabei was arrested in his apartment in Milan along with 21-year-old Palestinian Yahia Payumi, after a warrant was issued for their arrest by a Spanish judge investigating the bombings.

A spokesman for the Spanish interior ministry today confirmed Rabei was considered "one of the masterminds" of the Madrid bombings.

His arrest followed three months of surveillance and intelligence gathering by Italian anti-terror police.

Italian interior minister Giuseppe Pisanu said police had carried out the operation amid fears Islamic militants were planning more attacks. Police also feared Rabei might flee the country.

Claiming the swoop was aimed at a group "close to al Qaeda", he said: "One of those held was a key figure both ideologically and operatively. He was probably one of the principals of the Madrid bombings and he was planning other attacks." The raids were the first Europe-wide swoop on Islamic militants linked to the 11 March attacks.

Belgian police arrested 15 people on suspicion of planning terror attacks. "We know them to be part of a terrorist group," the director of the federal police bureau of Brussels, Glenn Audenaert, told reporters. He said the group included Jordanians, Palestinians, Egyptians and Moroccans.

The Spanish government has previously said all the key figures involved in planning and carrying out the train bombings are dead or in custody.