Spain seeks detention order against former Catalan leaders

MADRID -- Spanish state prosecutor asked judge on Thursday to issue European arrest warrant for sacked Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont and four other members of ousted Catalan regional government.

The Spanish authorities has demanded Puigdemont, who has been in Brussels since last Friday, to return to Spain for questioning over the charges of rebellion, sedition and the misuse of public funds.

Eight former members of Puigdemont's deposed government, including his former deputy Oriol Junqueras, appeared in Spain's High Court in Madrid on Thursday, to answer questions from judge High Court Carmen Lamela.

Puigdemont and four more former ministers opted to remain in Brussels insisting they would not get a fair hearing in what was a "political trial".

Puigdemont's lawyer Paul Bekeart told reporters that the climate in Spain was "not good. It is better to have some distance", but insisted that if asked, his client would "cooperate with Spanish and Belgian justice".

However, Spanish prosecutors are against Puigdemont being allowed to testify by video-conference.

"When someone doesn't appear after being cited by a judge to testify, in Spain or any other EU country, normally an arrest warrant is issued," said Carlos Lesmes, Spain's Supreme Court President.