Eurasia Review
The close collaboration in the fight against terrorism between the Spanish and Moroccan law enforcement agencies has led to the break-up of a Jihadi terrorist cell based in the Moroccan towns of Castillejos, Tetouan and Fez, according to the Spanish government.
This operation ended with the arrest of nine individuals of Moroccan nationality, some of them with strong ties to Spain.
According to the Spanish government, the arrests were carried out in the early hours of this morning by the National Judicial Police Brigade of Morocco following an investigation conducted by the country’s anti-terrorism service (DGST). The investigation was conducted in close collaboration with the Spanish intelligence and police forces, specifically the General Commissariat of Intelligence of the Spanish National Police Force. The operation forms part of the efforts to anticipate and combat the Jihadi terrorist threat.
The arrested individuals are responsible for recruiting, financially supporting and sending Jihadis – of Moroccan and other nationalities – to Syria and Iraq to then join the terrorist organisation known as “Islamic State”, which has links to Al Qaeda. This network operated in the Moroccan towns of Castillejos, Tetouan and Fez, as well as in the Autonomous City of Ceuta (Spain).
The investigations carried out confirm that the Jihadis recruited by the network broken up today received training on the handling of weapons, assembly and placement of explosive devices and vehicle theft for the purpose of taking part in terrorist suicide attacks and combat in conflict zones.
Some of the activists recruited and sent by the network – now broken up – would have participated in atrocious acts of violence against soldiers from the Syrian and Iraqi armies, such as decapitations, the recorded images of which were uploaded to the Internet and distributed via the social networks.
Similarly, the investigations revealed that the plans being drawn up by the dismantled terrorist cell included numerous acts of terrorism in the territory of the Kingdom of Morocco.
The investigation remains ongoing.
