Spain Dismantles Daesh-Linked Terror Cell: 9 Arrested in Joint Operation with Morocco

"This operation, carried out in cooperation between the intelligence service of the Civil Guard and the Directorate General of Territorial Surveillance in Morocco, has made it possible to identify and neutralize the danger from a group of young people who had been indoctrinated by the most violent extremist ideology of the terrorist organization Daesh," the Civil Guard said in a statement released on Friday.

Eight people suspected of being members of this cell were arrested on Tuesday in Melilla, Madrid and Malaga. The day before, on Monday, another suspect specializing in the manufacture and dissemination of terrorist content was arrested during an operation carried out in Cornellà (Barcelona), the armed institute adds, hailing the good cooperation and the "constant support" of the DGST which "has helped advance the investigations".

"This confirms the importance of international cooperation between anti-terrorism agencies to face this threat and this major challenge that is the anticipation of terrorist acts," it is specified.

Searches carried out have led to the seizure of significant propaganda materials. The defendants were brought before the competent prosecutor’s office on Thursday, which ordered the detention of five of them.