Ceuta: Judge Opens Investigation into “Hybrid Warfare” and Directly Implicates Morocco

The National Court judge declared herself competent to investigate the case, following the prosecutor’s opinion. She believes the facts could notably constitute offenses against the peace or independence of the state, criminal organization, facilitation of irregular immigration and negligent homicide, RTVE reports.

The investigation concerns the events of July 30 and 31, when approximately 72,000 crossings into Ceuta had been recorded in two days. In the judge’s view, there are sufficient indications to consider at this stage that this mass arrival was not simply spontaneous but formed part of a coordinated process.

On Bladi.net : A Spanish general allegedly ordered all references to Morocco erased from a report submitted to the judge

The report by the Spanish National Centre for Immigration and Borders (CENIF), on which the investigation is based, describes several levels of organization. After the migrants and the people responsible for spreading calls on social media come the organizers present on the ground.

It is at this level that Morocco is directly cited. According to the order, members of the Moroccan security forces, both in uniform and in civilian clothes, allegedly took part in “active guidance” of people toward points allowing them to cross the border.

A “management facilitating” crossings from Morocco

María Tardón does not merely identify a passive attitude on the part of the Moroccan forces. According to EFE, she refers to “clear and indisputable management facilitating the crossings,” with Moroccan police in particular giving migrants directions to bypass obstacles and reach the access points leading toward Ceuta.

The investigation must now determine who was at the higher levels of this organization. The judge refers to the existence of planners and people responsible for directing the process, without identifying their authors at this stage. She merely specifies that certain actors appear to have operated from Morocco or in connection with it.

This distinction is important: the order directly implicates the conduct of members of the Moroccan security forces, but does not establish at this stage that the Moroccan government ordered or organized the operation.

On Bladi.net : 72,000 crossings into Ceuta: Sánchez admits Morocco opened the floodgates for ten hours

Pedro Sánchez himself had acknowledged that Moroccan forces had allowed migrants to pass for approximately ten hours before regaining control of the border, while asserting that he had no evidence demonstrating an operation decided by Rabat.

Part of the proceedings will now be placed under seal. The judge notably wants to identify those responsible at the various levels of this organization and determine whether the use of migratory flows can actually be considered an instrument intended to threaten Spain’s territorial integrity.