A man wanted by Belgium for terrorism-related offences has been arrested in Estepona after spending almost a year on the run.
The suspect was detained by Local Police officers during a routine patrol near Playa del Cristo, close to the entrance of an exclusive beach club.
According to Malaga Hoy, officers became suspicious after spotting two North African men getting into a vehicle that had previously been reported to police.
As they carried out checks and requested identification from the occupants, officers discovered that one of the men was the subject of an international arrest warrant issued by Belgium.
The man had allegedly been evading authorities since July last year and was wanted in connection with offences linked to terrorism and crimes against individuals.
Sources confirmed that Belgian authorities had also issued a European arrest and surrender order for the suspect, leading to his immediate detention.
The Policia Nacional later confirmed that the man was wanted by Belgium and was subject to an international return order relating to alleged terrorism and violent offences.
A second man who was with the suspect was also questioned. Police inquiries reportedly found references linking him to terrorism investigations, but because no active arrest warrant or judicial order existed against him, he was not detained.
During a search of the vehicle, officers discovered documents belonging to a third person, including a Spanish national identity card and an accreditation card issued to someone with reduced mobility.
When questioned about the documents, both occupants reportedly claimed they had no knowledge of how they had ended up inside the vehicle.
One of the men told officers he was travelling to Morocco and had entered Spain through Tarifa around four or five days earlier.
The recovered documents have been handed over to the relevant authorities as investigations continue.
The arrested fugitive was transferred to National Police custody, where procedures relating to his extradition and surrender to Belgium are now underway.
