Leader of jihadist cell planning attack in Spain arrested in Palma

PalmThe National Police arrested the suspected leader of a jihadist cell linked to the Islamic State in Palma on Wednesday. According to the investigation, the cell financed terrorism and was planning a possible attack in Spain. The arrest took place at a residence on Gabriel Maura Street, number three, in the Balearic capital, as part of a joint operation with Moroccan authorities. The man arrested in Mallorca is considered the leader of this alleged network and, according to information provided by police sources, is linked to the planning of a terrorist attack following the pattern of lone-wolf terrorism. The operation was directed by the National Court and involved the General Information Commissariat and the Provincial Information Brigade.

Simultaneously, Moroccan authorities arrested two more people in Tangier, in the north of the country, who are believed to be part of the same cell. According to Morocco's Central Bureau of Judicial Investigations (BCIJ), those arrested are allegedly involved in financing and providing logistical support to jihadist fighters active in areas such as the sub-Saharan Sahel and Somalia. The investigation indicates that the cell operated in a coordinated manner between Morocco and Spain and was affiliated with the jihadist organization Islamic State (Daesh). The operation is part of preventative counterterrorism measures aimed at neutralizing potential threats and dismantling extremist networks. Moroccan authorities emphasized the importance of cooperation with Spain in this area and noted that, since 2014, this collaboration has led to the dismantling of more than thirty terrorist cells. The arrest in Palma once again places the Balearic Islands on the map of counterterrorism operations, although security forces insist that these operations are part of prevention and ongoing monitoring of global threats.