By Anadolu staff
BERLIN (AA) - German police arrested a Moroccan national on charges of espionage, following his extradition from Spain, officials said on Thursday.
Youssef El A., whose full name was withheld under German privacy laws, was taken into custody at Frankfurt Airport on Wednesday.
According to the Federal Prosecutor's Office, the accused is strongly suspected of having worked for Moroccan intelligence services since January 2022.
He allegedly monitored members of a Moroccan opposition movement, in collaboration with Mohamed A., who was previously convicted in Germany for similar activities.
German authorities had secured a European arrest warrant for Youssef El A. as part of their counterespionage investigation, leading to his arrest in Spain last December.
A federal judge has ordered Youssef El A. to remain in custody pending trial. If convicted of working as an unregistered foreign agent, he could face up to five years in prison under German law.