Madrid – Spain recorded a landmark achievement in counter-terrorism efforts in 2025, marking the highest figures since the March 11, 2004 attacks. Spanish authorities attributed a significant part of this success to advanced security and intelligence coordination with Morocco.
According to official data from the Spanish Ministry of the Interior, security forces conducted 64 operations against networks linked to terrorism, resulting in the arrest of 112 individuals. This outcome has been described as the largest in over two decades, making this year a remarkable milestone in the fight against extremist threats.
Javier Marín, director of the Centre for Intelligence Against Terrorism and Organized Crime (CITCO), mentioned that these results reflect the effectiveness of domestic security measures while also emphasizing the critical importance of international cooperation, particularly with Morocco. Marín confirmed that the security partnership between Rabat and Madrid has become a cornerstone of Spain’s strategy to combat terrorism.
Spanish radio station “Cadena Ser” reported Marín stating that close coordination with Moroccan authorities, through the General Directorate for Territorial Surveillance, has proven effective operationally and has strengthened early monitoring and intervention capabilities, enabling the thwarting of terrorist plots in their early stages.
In 2025, Spain logged the highest number of security operations aimed at combating jihadist terrorism, with Morocco’s Directorate of Territorial Surveillance (DST), led by Abdelatif Hammouchi, playing a significant role in dismantling cross-border cells. In this context, the Spanish intelligence chief emphasized Morocco’s commitment to fighting terrorism both within and beyond its borders.
Meanwhile, the Spanish newspaper “Atalayar” noted Marín’s view that “mutual trust” is the foundation of Moroccan-Spanish security cooperation, explaining that enhancing this trust has helped curb the movements of extremists planning attacks not just in the Western Mediterranean region but across various European countries.
The intelligence official pointed out that this coordination occurs away from media spotlight but is of utmost sensitivity and importance, asserting that success in thwarting potential terrorist plots and suicide operations serves as practical evidence of the effectiveness of this collaboration and its ability to bolster regional and European security.
