Spain – Eye on Islamism

Spain commends Morocco’s role in joint ISIS-affiliated terror cell dismantling The coordinated raids targeted six individuals in Madrid, Ibiza, Ceuta, and three others in Tetouan and Fnideq.

November 26, 2024 Firdaous Naim

(Morocco World News) Spanish authorities have publicly commended Morocco’s General Directorate for Territorial Surveillance (DGST) for its instrumental role in dismantling an ISIS-linked terror cell on November 22. The cell, composed of nine members operating in Morocco and Spain, posed what officials […]

Morocco and Spain dismantle Daesh-linked terrorist cell in joint operation

November 22, 2024 Unlisted Author

(Yabiladi) In a joint and coordinated security operation, Moroccan and Spanish authorities successfully dismantled a Daesh-affiliated terrorist cell operating in the Sahel region. The operation, conducted on Friday by Morocco’s Central Bureau of Judicial Investigations (BCIJ), affiliated with the General Directorate of […]

Anti-migrant protests in Spain’s Canaries draw thousands

October 27, 2024 Unlisted Author

(AFP) Thousands took part in rallies in the Canary Islands’ main cities on Sunday against irregular migration that has seen a huge increase in boats washing up on its shores. Located off the coast of northwest Africa, the Canary Islands are a […]

With intelligence assistance from Morocco: Spain arrests 3 suspected ISIS members

October 23, 2024 Unlisted Author

(Assahifa) The Spanish police, based on Moroccan intelligence, arrested two individuals in the city of Melilla on Tuesday, suspected of belonging to the terrorist organization “ISIS,” through the recruitment and training of jihadists to carry out attacks. According to Spanish media reports, […]

Spain, Morocco team up to arrest two Daesh suspects The operation was conducted under the oversight of Spain's Central Investigation Court, in coordination with the Public Prosecutor's Office of the National Court.

October 19, 2024 Mahamadou Simpara

(Morocco World News) The Spanish National Police, in collaboration with Morocco’s Directorate General for Territorial Surveillance (DGST), arrested two individuals in northern Spain suspected of being linked to the terrorist organization Daesh. The arrests took place on Friday in the towns of […]

Spain deports Moroccan linked to 2017 Barcelona terror attack

October 2, 2024 Latifa Babas

(Yabiladi) The Spanish Interior Ministry confirmed the expulsion of Moroccan Said Ben Iazza, one of the three jihadists convicted in the August 17, 2017, Barcelona and Cambrils attacks, according to Spanish media. The expulsion took place in April. Initially, Ben Iazza was […]

Morocco blocks mass migration attempt into Spain’s Ceuta enclave

September 15, 2024 Ahmed Eljechtimi

(Reuters) Moroccan authorities on Sunday prevented dozens of migrants from storming a border fence to reach the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, after calls on social media for a mass migration attempt. Spain’s two enclaves on Morocco’s Mediterranean coast, Ceuta and Melilla, share […]

Migrant influx fuels debate in Spain over illegal migration

August 31, 2024 Christian Chaise

(AFP) A steep rise in the number of arrivals of migrants in Spain’s Canary Islands from Africa has fuelled a fierce debate in the country over how to tackle illegal immigration. The issue was thrust into the spotlight during a three-day visit […]

Hundreds of migrants attempt to swim from Morocco to the Spanish territory of Ceuta

August 26, 2024 Renata Brito

(AP) Thousands of migrants have attempted to cross the border from Morocco to the Spanish enclave of Ceuta in the last few days, including hundreds of youth who tried to swim their way around controls, Spanish authorities said Monday. Videos broadcast on […]

Spain bracing for surge of African migrants to Canary Islands

August 23, 2024 Corina Pons

(Reuters) Spanish authorities fear that as many as 150,000 more migrants from Africa may be set to make the perilous crossing this year to the Canary Islands, already grappling with over 20,000 illegal arrivals so far, the regional leader said on Friday. […]

Some 640 migrants arrive in Spain by boat in just one weekend One of the vessels which had 20 people aboard caught fire after it had run aground

August 20, 2024 Almudena Santos

(Sur in English) Some 640 migrants arrived in Spain by boat last weekend with one of the vessels catching fire after it ran aground on one of the Balearic Islands. The Canary Islands, as has been the norm since the start of […]

Canary Islands migrant arrivals soar as Spain PM eyes west Africa trip

August 19, 2024 Unlisted Author

(AFP) The number of migrants reaching the Canary Islands more than doubled in the first 7.5 months of 2024 as Spain’s prime minister announced plans to visit west Africa next week. Figures show that 22,304 migrants reached the Atlantic archipelago in the […]

Grinning Chechen ‘terrorist’ behind Benidorm shooting is expelled from Spain for planning jihadi attacks

August 15, 2024 Walter Finch

(Olive Press) Spanish authorities have deported a Chechen national who was suspected of being the head of a jihadist cell planning attacks in Spain. German Bagaev was arrested in January in a Barcelona prison while already serving time for shooting two people […]

Euro 2024 ‘Isis terror plot’ foiled just hours before England-Spain final in police raid German police had raised the alarm over an 'immediate threat from the Islamist spectrum'

July 21, 2024 James Saunders

(GB News) A suspected Isis terror plot at the Euro 2024 final was scuppered thanks to a series of police raids in Germany mere hours before kick-off, it has emerged. Authorities descended on a set of addresses just outside Berlin after fears […]

Spain and Germany arrest 4 people for supplying Hezbollah with parts for drones used against Israel

July 18, 2024 Unlisted Author

(AP) Three people were arrested in Spain and one more in Germany on suspicion of belonging to a network that supplied the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah with parts to build kamikaze drones that would have been used in attacks in northern Israel, […]

Spain denies citizenship to Moroccan over ‘Islamist proselytizing’

July 17, 2024 Latifa Babas

(Yabiladi) Spanish courts have denied citizenship to a Moroccan national, upholding a 2022 decision by the Interior Ministry. A Spanish police investigation accused the Moroccan of “Islamist proselytizing” among unaccompanied minors in a reception center, according to El Confidencial Digital. The accused […]

Netherlands extradites woman linked to Madrid shooting of politician Alejo Vidal-Quadras

July 10, 2024 Unlisted Author

(NL Times) Authorities in the Netherlands will extradite 27-year-old Chahinez K., who is suspected of involvement in an attempt to assassinate Spanish politician Alejo Vidal-Quadras. The Den Bosch woman was the first of three people arrested in the Netherlands in connection with […]

Morocco, Spain collaborate to arrest 8 terror suspects Morocco frequently called for a shared responsibility to address security threats, particularly terrorism.

July 5, 2024 Safaa Kasraoui

(Morocco World News) Morocco’s security services and the Spanish Civil Guard announced on Friday arresting a group of eight terror suspects in a joint operation. The joint operation between the Spanish Civil Guard Intelligence Service and Morocco’s General Directorate of Territorial Surveillance […]

Gunman in Spanish politician’s shooting was set to kill Iranian in the Netherlands: prosecutors

June 26, 2024 Unlisted Author

(NL Times) The 38-year-old Tunisian man arrested in the Netherlands on suspicion of shooting Spanish politician Alejo Vidal-Quadras was also preparing to assassinate an Iranian activist and journalist, the Dutch Public Prosecution Service (OM) said on Wednesday. The Iranian individual was not […]

Dutch police arrest gunman suspected of shooting Spanish populist Alejo Vidal-Quadras

June 19, 2024 Unlisted Author

(NL Times) Police in the Netherlands arrested a 38-year-old Tunisian man in connection with the attempted assassination of Spanish populist politician Alejo Vidal-Quadras. The suspect was captured in Haarlem on June 6, according to the Noord-Holland district of the Public Prosecution Service […]

Report claims Islamic State were urged to shoot Real Madrid players and attack the Bernabeu stadium The Guardia Civil has dismantled an Islamic State media centre that advised people to attack the Santiago Bernabeu stadium and shoot Real Madrid players

June 17, 2024 Enrique Corbella

(Marca) “El Confidencial” reports that the Guardia Civil’s Information Service has dismantled the self-styled I’lam Foundation, one of the largest propaganda centers linked to the Islamic State/Daesh. Jose Maria Olmo publishes that “the dismantled network ordered its followers to attack the bus […]

Netherlands among 13 countries in global terrorism propaganda busts; Spain arrests 9

June 14, 2024 Unlisted Author

(NL Times) Two major international operations to break up the propaganda and communications channels of terrorist organizations were carried out this week, leading authorities in 13 countries to take action against servers, web hosting services and websites, Europol announced on Friday. The […]

French and Spanish police hold anti-terror drills ahead of Paris Olympics The exercise began in Bayonne, France, where the practice scenario involved assailants staging an attack before fleeing to San Sebastián, Spain, where they took hostages.

June 12, 2024 Unlisted Author

(Euronews) The national police of Spain and France conducted a simulated terrorist attack exercise ahead of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. The surprise exercise, called Operation Optimus, aimed to enhance response capabilities. It was overseen in Spain by the General Information […]

Alleged jihadist who recruited terrorists and glorified violent action is arrested on Spain’s Costa Blanca

June 6, 2024 Alex Trelinski

(Olive Press) A Moroccan man has been arrested in Alicante province on suspicion of being involved in recruiting terrorists and glorifying terrorism. The alleged jihadist was detained in Teulada by the Policia Nacional and refused bail by a court. Investigations started a […]

Security raised for Champions League ties after threat

April 9, 2024 Sean Seddon and Ruth Comerford

(BBC) Security is being increased at Champions League games after a media outlet supporting the Islamic State group published threats against venues. Ministers in both France and Spain confirmed enhanced security measures. A pro-IS media channel published several images of stadiums hosting […]

Spain police detain teen for promoting IS terror online

March 26, 2024 Unlisted Author

(AFP) Police said Tuesday they had arrested an 18-year-old Spaniard of Moroccan origin who had engaged in “intensive (online) efforts to encourage terrorism” and had ties with other radical jihadists abroad. The youth was arrested in Barcelona on March 16 on suspicion […]

Spain prosecutors want church attack suspect jailed for 50 years

March 22, 2024 Unlisted Author

(AFP) Prosecutors want the Moroccan man suspected of staging last year’s machete attack on two Spanish churches, killing a church official, to face 50 years behind bars, court documents showed Friday. The suspect, Yassine Kanjaa, 26, is charged with terrorist murder for […]

Spain sees heightened terror risk amid global conflicts

March 21, 2024 Unlisted Author

(Local) Amid rising tensions and conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza and elsewhere around the world, a meeting by Spain’s National Security Council has identified several threats to national security, some pre-existing and some new. Global conflict and instability has raised the terror and […]

Spanish police arrest 3 people over the deaths of 5 migrants forced out of a smugglers’ boat

March 18, 2024 Unlisted Author

(AP) Spanish police have arrested three people for the deaths last November of five migrants who were threatened with a machete and forced to jump off the boat they were traveling in with dozens of other migrants, authorities said Monday. According to […]

The metamorphosis of jihadism in Spain The current Islamist threat includes more women, more minors and variations in the sociological profile of terrorists compared to 2004

March 12, 2024 Óscar López-Fonseca

(El País) Spain has changed in the last two decades. So has the jihadist threat. Ever since 10 backpack bombs exploded on four Madrid commuter trains on March 11, 2004, killing 192 people and wounding nearly 2,000, security forces have carried out […]

Solemn Spaniards mark 20 years since deadly train bombings

March 11, 2024 Christian Chaise

(AFP) There were tears and emotional tributes Monday as Spain and the European Union paid tribute to the 192 victims of March 11, 2004, Madrid train bombings that marked the start of mass Islamist attacks in Europe. Heads were bowed across the […]

Two decades after Madrid attacks, jihadist threat to Spain changed

March 8, 2024 Alfons Luna

(AFP) Twenty years ago, a large, well-organised terror cell planned and staged the deadly Madrid train bombings, but today the jihadist threat facing Spain comes from lone wolves and small self-radicalised groups. On March 11, 2004, 10 bombs were placed on four […]

Spain jails man for inciting attack on Melilla Jewish community

March 8, 2024 Unlisted Author

(AFP) Spain’s top criminal court on Friday jailed an “extremely radicalised” man for inciting violence against the Jewish community in Melilla, one of two Spanish enclaves in North Africa. Police arrested the suspect on Wednesday, saying he had “actively participated” in an […]

Priest battles ‘hate crime’ charges for criticizing Islam

March 5, 2024 Martin Barillas

(Catholic News Agency) A Spanish priest is facing up to three years in prison on “hate crime” charges for his heated words about Islam. Last month, Father Custodio Ballester and two other individuals received a summons from a provincial court in Spain […]

Spanish ex-politician blames Iran for attack in which [he] was shot

February 23, 2024 David Latona and Michael Gordon

(Reuters) A Spanish former politician who survived a shooting attack said on Friday he believed Iran’s government had hired hitmen to assassinate him over his links to an Iranian dissident group. Alejo Vidal-Quadras, who was shot outside his Madrid residence last Nov. […]

Jihadist who translated DAESH material into Spanish

February 21, 2024 John Ensor

(Euro Weekly) A recent case has illustrated the consequences when digital footprints lead to real-world consequences. Details of a ground-breaking international operation were reported on Wednesday, February 21, in which a jihadist was apprehended in Santa Fe, Argentina, with the help of […]

Spain court convicts two jihadist inmates for trying to recruit new followers

February 13, 2024 Unlisted Author

(AFP) Spain’s top criminal court has handed seven-and-a-half-year prison terms to two prisoners jailed for terror offences for writing to other inmates encouraging them to stick to jihadist ideology, court documents showed Tuesday. In a ruling dated February 12, the Audiencia Nacional […]

Spain says over 1,000 migrants reached its Canary Islands in 3 days as more attempt deadly crossing

February 5, 2024 Unlisted Author

(AP) More than 1,000 migrants from sub-Saharan countries arrived in Spain’s Canary Islands in 18 boats over the past three days, Spain’s marine rescue service said Monday. A body was found in one of the boats. The archipelago off northwest Africa has […]

Spanish terror suspect arrested in Norway

February 2, 2024 John Ensor

(Euro Weekly) In a coordinated effort between Spanish and Norway authorities, a Spanish woman evading justice has been apprehended in Norway. The arrest, carried out under a European arrest and surrender order issued by the National Court, was down to the successful […]

Migrant arrivals to Spain’s Canaries jump by over 1,000% in January

February 1, 2024 David Latona

(Reuters) The number of migrants from West Africa who braved the sea in fragile boats to reach Spain’s Canary Islands jumped more than 1,000% in January from a year ago, data released by the country’s interior ministry on Thursday showed. A total […]

Crypto-jihadist arrested in Barcelona

January 31, 2024 John Ensor

(Euro Weekly) In a significant breakthrough, the Guardia Civil has apprehended a crypto-jihadist in Barcelona as part of an international investigation into terrorist financing. A report published on Wednesday, January 31, 2024, revealed how events in Barcelona resulted in the culmination of […]

Student suspected of planning jihadist attack detained in Spain

January 23, 2024 David Latona

(Reuters) Spain’s high court on Tuesday ordered that a 17-year-old student suspected of having links to the militant Islamic State group and of planning to attack his high school be held on remand at a youth detention centre for at least six […]

Migrant boat arrivals to Spain nearly quadruple in January

January 16, 2024 Catarina Demony

(Reuters) The number of migrants entering Spain irregularly by sea has jumped nearly 300% so far in January from the same period in 2023, with the vast majority arriving in the Canary Islands, official data showed on Tuesday. The seven islands lying […]

Spain sees highest jihadist-related terror arrests in 20 years A massive increase in the number of arrests came after the Hamas attack on Israel.

January 4, 2024 Robert Semonsen

(European Conservative) In 2023, Spanish authorities arrested 78 people for offenses related to jihadist terrorism, a 66% uptick compared to the previous year. The figures, compiled and released by the Ministry of Interior, are the highest recorded in nearly two decades. The […]

Irregular migrant arrivals almost doubled in Spain in 2023

January 3, 2024 Joan Faus

(Reuters) Around 57,000 migrants entered Spain irregularly last year, almost double the 2022 number as arrivals on the Canary Islands in fragile boats from west Africa surged to record levels, official data showed on Wednesday. The Spanish government last year intensified its […]

Warning of ‘increased risk’ of ISIS terror attacks across Europe on New Year’s Eve Experts say terror group remains a 'serious threat' as arrests made in Spain, Austria, France and Germany

December 26, 2023 Nicky Harley

(National-UAE) Security services across Europe have uncovered an ISIS plot to use explosives to target churches. Counter-terrorism experts say the group remains a “serious threat” and is taking advantage of the conflict in Gaza to motivate its supporters. Over the Christmas period, […]

Jihadist arrested by Guardia Civil in Sevilla

December 23, 2023 John Ensor

(Euro Weekly) Spanish authorities have scored another victory in the ongoing battle against online jihadist extremism. On Friday, December 22, the Guardia Civil reported how they recently apprehended an individual in La Rinconada, Sevilla, for spreading jihadist propaganda. This arrest highlights the […]

Morocco, Spain team up to arrest terror suspects in Nador, Melilla The arrests came less than a week after a similar joint Spanish-Moroccan counterterrorism operation.

December 19, 2023 Safaa Kasraoui

(Morocco World News) The Moroccan Central Bureau of Judicial Investigations (BCIJ) and Spanish authorities carried out a joint counterterrorism operation, during which several terror suspects were arrested in Nador, Morocco’s Oriental region, and in the Spanish enclave of Melilla. The BCIJ arrested […]

Morocco, Spain dismantle terrorist support network Spanish authorities arrested five people in four different provinces, according to Spanish police.

December 16, 2023 Oussama Aamari

(Morocco World News) Spanish police announced on Saturday that they dismantled a network that helped plan and finance the activities of ISIS members, in collaboration with Morocco’s General Directorate of Territorial Surveillance (DGST). Spanish authorities arrested five people in the provinces of […]

Madrid imam, Arabic teacher arrested for ‘radicalising minors’

December 7, 2023 Unlisted Author

(AFP) Spanish police said Thursday they had arrested a 44-year-old imam who worked as an Arabic teacher and used his position “to radicalise minors” and recruit possible Islamic State (IS) members. The Guardia Civil police force said the suspect was arrested on […]