ISIS-Linked Terror Cell Dismantled in Spain, Thwarting European Attack Plans

Five individuals were arrested in Spain, spread between Valencia, Alicante, Guipúzcoa and Cáceres, all accused of links with this terrorist organization.

This action is part of the second phase of "Operation Miya", launched in 2021 by the General Information Commissariat (CGI) of the Spanish National Police. The operation benefited from the collaboration of intelligence services from twelve countries, including Morocco, Mauritania, Switzerland and the United States. The coordination of the investigation was ensured by the Central Investigating Judge number 6 and the National Court.

The investigation began following the detection of a person of Maghrebi origin in Spain, suspected of wanting to collaborate with a jihadist who had arrived in Europe via the Balkans route. The jihadist’s goal was to travel to France to carry out an attack on behalf of Daesh.

Thanks to the expertise of CGI specialists in jihadist counter-terrorism, the suspected perpetrator of the attack in France was located in Switzerland. This information was quickly shared with the Swiss authorities, leading to a joint operation between Switzerland and Spain. In March 2022, this collaboration led to the simultaneous arrest of the two extremists. In total, the first phase of this operation resulted in eight arrests in Europe and the Maghreb.