On December 12, Spanish police commandos moved in on a purported terrorist cell in the Spanish Moroccan enclave of Ceuta (source). They arrested 11 suspected militants, 10 Spaniards and a Moroccan, who they said were planning attacks on unspecified targets and who had been under surveillance for more than a year. Spanish police stated that their decision to move forward was based on interceptions of dialogues among the group in which the group?s fanatic chatter was developing into specific plans for an attack.
The suspects are believed to have links to the Moroccan Islamic Combatant Group (GICM; Group Profile). Notably, among the suspects were two brothers of a former Guantanamo Bay detainee, known as ?The Spanish Taliban,? who police said was not arrested in this raid. Upon his release in 2004, he returned to his homeland, Spain, , where authorities arrested him on terrorism-related charges only to have the Supreme Court throw out the case due to lack of evidence, a clear indication of the judicial challenges faced by Spanish law enforcement when trying to combat terrorism.
The captures followed two November arrests in Melilla, another Spanish enclave on the African coast. In recent years, Spanish authorities have struggled with illegal immigration from the hordes of migrants seeking their way to Ceuta and Melilla in order to reach the European mainland. Spain has appealed to the EU to help tackle the problem, pointing out the augmented risk of terrorists entering Spain and transiting rest of Europe from North Africa.
New trends of terrorist activities in North Africa confirm these fears and have enhanced Spain?s anxiety about the dilemma. Numerous arrests point to an alarming development of radical groups using Spanish communities to mobilize their forces and plan attacks in Europe. TRC reported on a merger between North African established terrorist groups in order to increase their resources and capabilities . The North African-based groups have teamed up to organize and bring their European counterparts together with the goal of carrying out attacks throughout Europe.
Emerging Problems in Spain?s Enclaves
Ceuta and Melilla serve as channels for migrants to enter Europe from North Africa. Salafi-Islamist and al-Qaeda -linked groups have concurrently sought to establish a foothold in the enclaves and have used the passageway to infiltrate Europe.
Recent incidents?pro-Osama Bin Laden slogans surfacing in a Jewish cemetery, a synagogue and Christian church–have brought fears of an emerging radical body in the Melilla enclave. The Badr Islamic Association, which claims to focus on innocuous religious instruction of Muslim children, is suspected to be behind the damage (source). Ceuta is allegedly the home of one of the most radical mosques in the Spanish communities, the Barella in the Radou quarter. Notably, the ?Spanish Taliban? came from Ceuta as have a number of other well-known militants. Authorities say that not only does Ceuta serve as a host to Islamic terrorist movements, but Melilla and Andalucia do too. In 2005, extensive counter-terrorism raids disrupted an al-Qaeda-linked cell based in Andalucia while several suspects from the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC; Group Profile), snatched across southern Spain, were believed to have gained access through the Maghreb-Andalucia strait.
Spain?s Counter-Terrorism Efforts
With the Madrid bombing and many terrorist groups continuing their endeavor to strike against Europe, Spanish authorities are working hard to prevent another attack. Spain has a rather distinguished counter-terrorism force in place, having dealt with domestic terrorist group ETA since 1959. However, the Madrid attacks were perpetrated by Islamist terrorists, which Spanish counter-terrorism forces had had little exposure to, and so Spain?s antiterrorism entities had to adjust to the new threat. Today, Spain has one of Europe?s most active and effective anti-terrorist law enforcement entities. However, as frequently seen throughout Europe, the existing laws in Spain have worked against law enforcement efforts, tossing out significant cases and setting dangerous individuals free. This has sparked great frustration and has prompted popular debate on the liabilities of current laws and numerous calls for amendments.
Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero?s government sees Spain as one of the forerunners in the struggle against terrorism. His priorities have included cooperation with European and US counterparts, and his focus is squarely on increasing law enforcement resources and bringing about revisions of the current antiterrorism laws. He has also emphasized the importance of respecting human rights yet balancing counter-terrorism policies.
The threat of a terrorist attack against Spain is high even as counter-terrorism authorities continue to make headway. As the holidays approach, expect a heightened alertness and police presence in Spain and their enclaves.
