BERLIN: German police on Sunday arrested Catalonia's former president Carles Puigdemont as he crossed over by car from Denmark.

Puigdemont "was arrested today at 11:19 am by Schleswig-Holstein's highway patrol force," a German police spokesman told AFP, adding that the detention was based on a European warrant.

"He is now in police custody", added the spokesman.

Puigdemont's party spokeswoman Anna Grabalosa also separately confirmed that he was detained on arrival in Germany from Denmark.

"It happened as he crossed the Danish-German border. He was treated well and all his lawyers are there. That is all I can say," she said.

Puigdemont is wanted by Spain on charges of "rebellion" and "sedition", over his independence bid for Catalan.

He had been visiting Finland since Thursday, but slipped out of the Nordic country before Finnish police could detain him.

Puigdemont's lawyer Jaume Alonso-Cuevillas, said on Twitter that Puigdemont was picked up by German police as he was travelling back to Belgium where he has been living in self-imposed exile. </s> The German prosecution is processing Catalan ex-president Carles Puigdemont's extradition to Spain from the prison where he is currently being detained, because of the risk that he might flee if allowed to leave on bail. Following his arrest on 25 March, as he crossed the German border on his way back to Belgium from Finland, a local German court has urged the territorial high court - which has the final say on Puigdemont's fate - to extradite the former Catalan president. It was it acting at ... </s> German prosecutors are making a new request to have former Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont taken into custody pending an extradition ruling.

A court in northern Germany had allowed Puigdemont, Catalonia's former regional president, to leave jail on bail shortly after he was detained March 25 at Spain's request.

Schleswig prosecutors said in a statement Friday that they believe Puigdemont poses a flight risk while extradition proceedings to Spain are ongoing.

Prosecutors also said they will continue to press for Puigdemont to be extradited on charges of rebellion and misuse of funds. The charges stem from an unauthorized referendum last year on Catalonia's independence from Spain.

Prosecutors say the charges have equivalents in German law, though the regional court in Schleswig has questioned whether the rebellion charge is applicable. </s> BERLIN (AP) - German prosecutors are making a new request to have former Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont taken into custody pending an extradition ruling.

A court in northern Germany had allowed Puigdemont, Catalonia's former regional president, to leave jail on bail shortly after he was detained March 25 at Spain's request.

Schleswig prosecutors said in a statement Friday that they believe Puigdemont poses a flight risk while extradition proceedings to Spain are ongoing.

FILE - In this April 18, 2018 file photo, former Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont attends a meeting with lawmakers of his party, Junts per Catalunya (Together for Catalonia), in Berlin, Germany. A German court on Tuesday, May 22, 2018 rejected a request from prosecutors to take former Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont back into custody pending a decision on whether he is extradited to Spain. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn,file)

Prosecutors also said they will continue to press for Puigdemont to be extradited on charges of rebellion and misuse of funds. The charges stem from an unauthorized referendum last year on Catalonia's independence from Spain.

Prosecutors say the charges have equivalents in German law, though the regional court in Schleswig has questioned whether the rebellion charge is applicable. </s> German prosecutors have asked a court to permit the extradition of former Catalan separatist leader Carles Puigdemont to Spain.

Prosecutors in the northern town of Schleswig said on Tuesday they have submitted a request to the regional court following “intensive examination” of the European arrest warrant issued by Spain.

Puigdemont has been detained in Germany since 25 March. Spain accuses the 55-year-old of rebellion in organising an unauthorised referendum.

The Schleswig court is likely to take several days to decide whether to extradite Puigdemont.

His lawyers have urged the German government to intervene in the case, citing the “political dimension.” </s> Prosecutors in Germany are to seek a warrant to extradite the former Catalan president Carles Puigdemont to Spain.

Mr Puigdemont was detained by German authorities last month at the Danish border.

The former regional leader is wanted in Spain, where he faces charges of 'rebellion' and misuse of public funds - accusations arising from his role in the disputed Catalan independence referendum.

Mr Puigdemont has been in self-imposed exile from Catalonia and Spain since late last year.

Facing a European arrest warrant, prosecutors in Germany will now seek a court's permission to extradite Mr Puigdemont.

In a statement, officials said: "The prosecutor's office of Schleswig-Holstein state applied for an extradition arrest warrant against former Catalonian regional president Carles Puigdemont from the Higher Regional Court in Schleswig-Holstein."

The prosecutors said the rebellion charges - defined as 'an unconstitutional act despite expectations of violent disturbances' - have a general equivalent in German law, which is among the requirements for extradition applications.

It is not yet known when the German court will make its decision.

Associated Press reports that the former regional lawyers' will ask the court to reject the decision, and have also called on the German government to intervene over the case's 'political dimension' in Spain. </s> Carles Puigdemont, the deposed Catalan president, was on Sunday detained by police at the German border after Spain reactivated an international warrant for his arrest on charges of rebellion over October’s referendum and declaration of independence.

Mr Puigdemont’s lawyer, Jaume Alonso-Cuevillas, said he was detained while crossing the border from Denmark by car on his way back to Belgium from Finland, where he had travelled to speak at an event.

"By now he is in a police station and his legal defence has already been activated," Mr Alonso-Cuevillas said.

The Spanish Supreme Court reissued European Arrest Warrants for Mr Puigdemont and four members of his former cabinet on Friday after charging 13 Catalan independence leaders with rebellion and misappropriation of funds.

The charges could see them jailed for up to 30 years. International arrest warrants were issued for two other separatist politicians, Ana Gabriel and Marta Rovira, who are currently in self-imposed exile in Switzerland.

If Mr Puigdemont does not consent to his extradition to Spain, the request will go before the German courts, a process for which he could be remanded in custody. </s> BERLIN - Catalonia's ousted president Carles Puigdemont is to appear before a judge on Monday after he was detained by German police on a European arrest warrant issued by Spain, prosecutors said Sunday.

"The sole purpose of this appearance is to verify the identity of the person arrested," the regional tribunal in the town of Schleswig said in a statement.

The court will then decide if Puigdemont will be formally taken into custody pending extradition proceedings, it added.

Judges "will establish on the basis of documents provided by the Kingdom of Spain... if Mr Puigdemont's transfer to the Spanish authorities is legally founded," the court said.

It added that the 55-year-old was currently in detention without providing further details.

German police arrested Puigdemont earlier on Sunday as he crossed over by car from Denmark, where had been visiting lawmakers.

Spain's supreme court announced Friday it would prosecute 13 Catalan separatists for "rebellion" including Puigdemont, for their role in the region's failed bid to break away from Madrid last year.

If found guilty, they face up to 30 years in prison. Twelve more face less serious charges such as disobedience. </s> BERLIN (AP) — German police say ex-Catalan fugitive Carles Puigdemont has been detained on a European arrest warrant.
Catalonia's ex-President Carles Puigdemont is detained in Germany.