The Spanish Interior ministry announced on Friday that Spain and Morocco have arrested nine people suspected of being part of a terrorist cell linked to ISIS. The dismantled cell was operating in Melilla and Nador.
According to the Spanish media, eight of the arrestees were Moroccans and the ninth person was Spanish and was the leader of the group.
Moroccan officials said that the cell had also links with another organization fighting in Mali and Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb. They also added that the leader of the group was suspected of stealing and trafficking in stolen cars in order to raise funds for ISIS.
This is the second joint Spanish-Moroccan operation in a month. A recruiting network was dismantled in Ceuta in August. Both Spain and Morocco have arrested dozens of suspected recruiters and jihadist fighters.
On Thursday, 4 jihadists were sentenced to three to five years in prison after being convicted of recruiting people to join ISIS.
The Moroccan government has also introduced a new anti-terror law last week and added penalties of up to 15 years in prison and a fine of a maximum of $58000 to anyone seeking to join such groups.
The Moroccan Times.
