Spanish police obtained an wiretap order in 2005 for the imam who masterminded last week’s twin terror attacks in Spain, as they suspected he was linked to Al Qaeda and other jihadi groups, it emerged on Friday.

Abdelbaki Es Satty, a 44-year-old of Moroccan origin, is believed to have directed the attacks which killed 15 people after forming a 12-member terror cell in the Catalan town of Ripoll.

The Catalan police have said they had no information that the imam had any previous links to terrorism.