Spain to boost European counter terrorism: report

(MADRID) - Spain intends to use its six-month presidency of the European Union to reinforce coordination against the threat of terrorism, the El Pais newspaper said Saturday citing government officials.

Spain, which took the rotating presidency on January 1, has proposed creating a European counter terrorism coordination committee and several countries have already said they would participate, the daily said.

The countries were Belgium, Britain, Denmark, France, Germany, Portugal and The Netherlands, the paper said, citing unidentified interior ministry officials.

The new body would allow improved counter terrorism intelligence sharing in Europe, it said.

Madrid would host a meeting of European counter terrorism authorities on January 21 and 22, it added.

A failed attempt to blow up a US airliner on Christmas Day has fuelled fears of further attacks. The attempt was claimed by Al-Qaeda.

Spain raised its terrorist alert level on Tuesday after a warning that the armed Basque separatist group ETA may be planning an attack or kidnapping during the country's EU presidency.