Madrid probe widens to Germany
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BERLIN, Germany -- The probe into the Madrid bombings has widened to Germany, where one of the suspects is believed to have visited before the March 11 attacks.
The news came amid reports Friday of more arrests in Spain and Morocco in connection with the Madrid train blasts.
Also Friday, a Spanish judge charged a Moroccan man with collaborating with a terrorist group in connection with the attacks -- boosting to 12 the suspects who have been charged in the case.
In Germany, federal prosecutor Kay Nehm said in a statement that the probe was launched after authorities received information from Spanish investigators that one of the suspects, a 28-year-old Moroccan, had apparently been in Germany last fall.
The prosecutor did not identify the suspect.
Darmstadt is just south of Frankfurt.
Nehm ordered a search of the apartment where the Moroccan lived, and some items were seized for further investigation.
He said the investigation has uncovered no evidence that the Madrid attacks had been planned in Germany.
The attacks -- 10 bombs on four trains in three stations -- killed 190 people and wounded hundreds.
So far, Spanish authorities have confirmed that 18 people have been arrested in the train probe.
Meanwhile, the latest suspect to be arraigned and charged in Spain was identified as Faisal Alluch.
Court officials said Friday that Alluch is suspected of hosting meetings for bombing conspirators at his home.
He is being held incommunicado but told the court he is innocent, said a National Court spokeswoman.
National Court Judge Juan del Olmo on Friday also held an arraignment hearing for Khalid Oulad of Morocco but did not charge him.
Oulad was not set free, however, because he is already serving a four-year sentence in a prison in northwest Salamanca province for robbery and assault, court officials said.
Oulad is the brother of the only woman charged in the train bombings, Naima Oulad.
Separately on Friday, Moroccan government sources told CNN that police have detained a number of people in the north of the country in connection with the attacks.
All of those taken in for questioning were picked up Friday morning in several locations near Tetuan, 260 km (160 miles) northwest of the capital Rabat, the sources said, just a short boat ride across the Strait of Gibraltar from Spain.
No further information about the detentions was available.
Morocco is cooperating with Spanish authorities in the investigation into the train bombings.
The Moroccan authorities said the men they picked up were members of the Moroccan Islamic extremist group al Salafiya al Jihadiya, which Spanish officials suspect may have ties to the attacks.
The area where the men were detained is known to have strong support for the group.
Some of the area where the suspects were picked up are known to have strong support for the Moroccan Islamic extremist group al Salafiya al Jihadiya, which Spanish officials suspect may have ties to the attacks.
Jailed Moroccan immigrant Jamal Zougam, from the northern Moroccan city of Tangiers, is the prime suspect.
At least one suspect in Spanish custody, Mohamed Bekkali, is originally from Tetuan. He worked with Zougam in a telephone shop in Madrid.
The Spanish press has reported that police found a broken piece of cell phone in Zougam's shop that matched the cell phone found with an unexploded bomb in the Madrid attacks.
Also Friday, Reuters quoted Spanish television as reporting that Spanish police had arrested two more suspects.
There was no immediate confirmation by Spain's Interior Ministry or court officials.
-- From CNN Producer Stephanie Halasz
