Individual accused of promoting terrorist actions against Moroccans arrested in Vizcaya
The town of Basauri, in Vizcaya, has witnessed the arrest of one of its neighbours for his alleged involvement in a crime of terrorist threats. Agents of the National Police have arrested the individual, who is accused of using his profiles on social networks to encourage attacks and violent actions against people and institutions in Morocco both in Spain and abroad. The detainee, who was brought before the courts this morning, has already been remanded in custody.
The operation was carried out by agents of the General Information Police in an action coordinated at all times by the Public Prosecutor's Office of the Audiencia Nacional and the supervision of the Central Court of Instruction number three. In addition, the cooperation of the Provincial Information Brigades of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Tenerife, San Sebastian and Bilbao has been fundamental in an investigation that has been ongoing since December last year.
The National Police became aware of the threats and incitement to extreme violence posted by the individual in question four months ago. After carrying out various investigations by the State Security Forces and Corps, they discovered that behind the screen there was a person who had targeted people of Moroccan origin, especially pro-Moroccan Saharawis. Both institutions and citizens from Morocco were the target of threats from the detainee, who had an account with more than 20,000 followers. In addition to this, he had several accounts from which he also incited to carry out violent actions against people from the Alawi kingdom.
After the arrest of the individual, the police searched the home where he was arrested. Numerous documents and material were seized for further investigation by experts from the National Police Force. Among all the material, telephone terminals, personal documentation and some electronic media from which he controlled his profiles on social networks stand out. The police hope to be able to investigate through everything seized to discover to what extent his actions were limited to the networks where it was he himself who recorded and disseminated the threats against people of Moroccan origin.
This operation coincides precisely with the arrest of two jihadists accused of recruiting prisoners for Daesh in Algeciras prison. In the case of the latter, they had already declared their "loyalty" to the terrorist organisation: "Their idea was to attack tourist interests in Morocco and to this end they had already begun to search for information on areas of maximum public affluence, as well as how to obtain assault rifles. There were no definite plans, nor were there specific targets, but the Guardia Civil already had information that in prison they had spoken of perpetrating attacks against tourists", according to various sources told ABC.
Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita has expressed his concern about these situations, which have unfortunately been intensifying recently and of which not only Morocco but the entire international community must remain vigilant: "The response to the emerging threats from Daesh must prioritise support for African states and organisations in order to ensure more lasting results".
Despite not having a defined plan, it is thought that they were planning to act in the Sahel region. An area that is experiencing great difficulties not only because of the terrorist threat that has escalated in recent months throughout the territory, but also because of the desertification that is destroying the crops of thousands of families who are forced to leave the Sahel in search of a new home.