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, citing the senior police command in Melilla, the counterterrorism operation required officers from the General Information Commission of the National Police to travel from Madrid to Melilla to cooperate with the local intelligence unit.
The operation was based on several pieces of information, including those provided by Morocco's General Directorate for Territorial Surveillance (DGST). The collaboration with Spanish authorities has led to the arrest of numerous extremists in recent years.
A spokesperson for the police in Melilla stated that the operation involved three raids, targeting a house and a gym, resulting in the arrest of two individuals, one of whom is a minor. The suspects were immediately referred to the National Court in Madrid, to which they were transferred by air.
This operation is linked to the arrest of a third individual in the city of Avilés in the Asturias region, for distributing messages and posts on social media promoting "ISIS," including calls for "jihad" and incitement for "Muslims in Melilla to revolt."
The young man, who was jailed under a court order, was arrested on charges related to glorifying terrorism, training, and indoctrination in matters of extremism. It is believed that tracking this individual led to the capture of the two suspects in Melilla.
Additionally, last week, another person was arrested in the Basque province of Gipuzkoa for involvement in self-indoctrination and training for terrorist activities. The suspect had been distributing several pro-ISIS materials and was found to be in an advanced stage of "jihadist radicalization." However, Spanish authorities did not announce any connection between this case and the previous operations.
