Moroccan and Spanish security services have dismantled a terrorist cell loyal to the Islamic State in a coordinated operation spanning both countries, authorities said Wednesday.
The operation was carried out by Morocco’s Central Bureau of Judicial Investigations, part of the General Directorate for Territorial Surveillance, in cooperation with Spain’s General Commissariat for Information. The cell consisted of three suspected extremists operating between Morocco and Spain.
In a statement, Moroccan authorities said the joint action forms part of ongoing coordinated operations and intelligence-sharing efforts aimed at neutralizing terrorist threats and dismantling extremist networks that pose risks to both countries.
Simultaneous field operations led to the arrest of two suspects in the northern city of Tangier by Moroccan special forces, while Spanish authorities detained the alleged leader of the cell in Mallorca.
Preliminary findings indicate that the suspects arrested in Morocco were involved in financing and providing logistical support to fighters affiliated with ISIS branches in the Sahel region and Somalia. The alleged ringleader is suspected of planning a terrorist attack in Spain using lone-actor tactics.
The two suspects detained in Tangier have been placed in police custody pending further investigation under the supervision of the prosecutor’s office in charge of terrorism cases, as authorities seek to uncover the network’s full scope and connections at both national and regional levels.
Officials said the operation reflects long-standing security cooperation between Morocco and Spain, noting that more than 30 terrorist cells have been dismantled through joint efforts since 2014, helping to thwart major threats and prevent attacks in both countries.
add your comment
Terms of publication : Not to offend the writer, people, sacred things, or attack religions or the divine self, and refrain from racist incitement and insults.