THREE suspected terrorists have been arrested in a joint operation between the Policia Nacional and Morocco’s internal intelligence service, the DGST.
The trio were detained on Wednesday for being alleged members of a jihadist cell.
Two arrests were executed in Tangier, while the leader of the group was captured in Palma, Mallorca.
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According to the Interior Ministry, he had allegedly considered carrying out a ‘large-scale’ lone wolf attack somewhere in Spain.
Since the investigation is under secrecy, exact details of the plot are undisclosed but police sources told the El Pais newspaper that plans for an attack were in their early stages and that ‘it was not imminent’.
The Palma detainee also faces prosecution for the crimes of terrorist indoctrination and self-indoctrination, since he consumed Islamic State (ISIS) propaganda and posted it on social media to attract over radicals.
Those arrested in Morocco were involved in ‘financing and logistical support for active fighters’ of ISIS branches in sub-Saharan Africa.
The latest arrests bring the total to 26 alleged jihadists being detained so far this year by Spanish authorities.
Both Spain and Morocco stated that since March 2014, they have carried out 31 joint counter-terrorism operations that have led to the arrest of 150 suspected jihadists- 83 of which were in Spain.
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