The Spanish Ministry of the Interior praised the success of security coordination with Morocco in dismantling extremist networks.
Spanish authorities arrested an individual in Mallorca, alongside the detention of two others within Moroccan territory, in a coordinated operation reflecting the advanced cooperation between the security agencies of both countries in confronting threats related to violent extremism.
The operation was executed simultaneously following an exchange of intelligence information between the Spanish National Police and the General Directorate of Territorial Surveillance, targeting potential links between the suspects and preventing the expansion of their activities. According to the information, the individual detained in Palma de Mallorca is suspected of being involved in spreading extremist propaganda online, while the arrest of the two people in Morocco occurred within the same coordination framework.
According to the Spanish Ministry of the Interior, this operational coordination has enabled the thwarting of several potential plots in recent years, affirming that the partnership with Morocco has become a fundamental pillar of the Spanish security approach, particularly in addressing cross-border extremist networks.
Official data indicates that bilateral cooperation since 2014 has resulted in the execution of 31 joint operations in the fight against terrorism, leading to the arrest of 150 individuals, with 83 apprehended in Spain and 67 in Morocco, demonstrating both parties’ ability to act simultaneously and effectively within their territorial domains.
This coordination relies, as stated, on the rapid and precise exchange of information related to the movements of suspects, patterns of recruitment, and routes towards conflict zones, contributing to neutralizing threats and obstructing the transfer of radicalized individuals to areas of unrest, in addition to dismantling networks involved in recruitment and propaganda.
The first direct operational coordination between Rabat and Madrid dates back to March 2014 when a network for recruiting fighters to send to conflict zones in the Middle East and the Sahel was dismantled, marking the beginning of an expansion of security cooperation between the two countries.
Spanish authorities emphasize that Morocco plays a pivotal role in the regional security framework, thanks to its geographical position and its expertise in tracking extremist networks, alongside its contribution to monitoring irregular migration routes, thereby enhancing its status as a strategic partner in this domain.
