A joint security operation between Morocco’s Territorial Surveillance Agency (DGST) and Spain’s Civil Guard led to the arrest of eight alleged ISIS-affiliated men in the Spanish cities of Melilla, Madrid and Malaga, the Spanish Ministry of Interior said on Thursday.
The suspects appeared in court, and five individuals were ordered to be held in custody, the ministry pointed out in a press release.
The Guardia Civil Intelligence Service commenced an inquiry in 2023 focused on a group of young individuals residing in Melilla who were actively sharing and promoting terrorist propaganda through private messaging groups. The investigation aimed at identifying potential terrorist threats and preventing any damage to public security.
The evidence collected revealed the formation and structure of a group that expanded both online and offline, the joint operation allowed the DGST and Guardia Civil to identify and neutralize the young suspects.
The members of this group were strongly influenced by the extremist and violent ideologies of Jihadist terrorist organizations, with a significant amount of the propaganda material detected belonging to groups like ISIS.
The group members engaged in pro-Jihadist activities facilitated by the virtual world, resulting in contact with other individuals with a similar mindset across Spain, including in Malaga and Madrid.
Another individual allegedly engaged in jihadist activities was arrested on July 1 in Cornella, Barcelona. He was caught utilizing encrypted social networking and instant messaging platforms to advocate the use of violence for terrorist purposes.