Serbia-Montenegro minister: Legal procedures to extradite Madrid bombing suspect completed

Serbia-Montenegro authorities have completed the extradition procedures required to hand over a Moroccan man wanted by Spain in connection with last year's Madrid train bombings, a top official said Thursday, indicating the transfer was imminent.

Abdelmajid Bouchar, 22, was detained at Belgrade's main train station in June with no documentation and claiming to be an Iraqi immigrant worker. Earlier this month, Belgrade received Spain's extradition request.

"All legal procedures to extradite the Moroccan suspect have been completed," Serbia-Montenegro Human Rights Minister Rasim Ljajic told The Associated Press.

Because of the security concerns involved in the hand-over, Ljajic declined to provide details or a timeline for the extradition, saying only that the "suspect is now ready to be handed over."

The Moroccan's appeal against his extradition was denied by Serbia's Supreme Court, according to court sources, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.

Interpol officers in Spain and Serbia were expected to coordinate the hand over, reports the AP