A joint counterterrorism operation carried out by Spain’s National Police and Morocco’s General Directorate for Territorial Surveillance (DGST) has led to the arrest of three suspected members of a jihadist cell operating between the two countries.
The arrests were made simultaneously on Wednesday, with one suspect detained in Palma de Mallorca (Balearic Islands) and two others in the Moroccan city of Tangier. According to Moroccan authorities, the operation resulted in the dismantling of a cell allegedly linked to the terrorist organisation Daesh (Islamic State).
Investigators believe the man arrested in Mallorca was the leader of the group and had been planning an attack in Spain. He is suspected of orchestrating the ‘execution of a terrorist attack in Spain following the modus operandi of lone-wolf terrorism’, with authorities warning that the plot involved the use of a lone attacker.
The two suspects arrested in Tangier are believed to have played a supporting role within the network. According to the investigation, they were involved in financing and providing logistical support to fighters linked to Islamic State, particularly in regions such as the sub-Saharan Sahel and Somalia.
Authorities say the cell functioned as a coordinated structure, combining operational planning in Spain with funding and logistical support from Morocco. The case underscores ongoing concerns about cross-border jihadist networks and the use of decentralised ‘lone wolf’ tactics.
The operation forms part of longstanding counterterrorism cooperation between Spain and Morocco, which has led to the dismantling of more than 30 jihadist cells since 2014. Both countries have emphasised the importance of preventive action by security forces to neutralise potential threats and disrupt extremist organisations operating across their territories.
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🚩Tres detenidos en #España y #Marruecos en una operación simultánea de @policia y la DGST marroquí
— Policía Nacional (@policia) March 25, 2026
🤝🇲🇦 Más de 10 años de colaboración ➡️ 31 operaciones conjuntas y 150 arrestos por terrorismo yihadista desde 2014
👮♂️En Palma, arrestado un radicalizado que planeaba viajar a… pic.twitter.com/bL3uT3Irwk
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