Madrid- Spain praised the "exemplary and coordinated" cooperation between Moroccan and Spanish security services in fighting the jihadist terrorism threat.
Madrid- Spain praised the “exemplary and coordinated” cooperation between Moroccan and Spanish security services in fighting the jihadist terrorism threat.
“Morocco police of Spanish national police have been doing an exemplary, coordinated and reinforced job over the last years against the jihadist terrorism threat”, Spanish interior ministry said in a release published after the distinction-awarding ceremony to a group of senior Moroccan security officials.
“This year, 5 joint operations have led to the arrest of 40 persons and the dismantling of terrorist rings involved in financing, recruiting, radicalizing and sending fighters to conflict areas in Syria and Iraq”, the Spanish ministry recalled.
Joint actions by Morocco and Spain have also led, during the last four years, to “dismantling various logistical and jihadist terrorists recruitment structures” in the Moroccan cities of Fnideq, Tetouan and Fes and the towns of Sebta and Melillia,” says the source.
“These operations were highly important for the two countries’ security and raised cooperation between (Morocco’s) general directorate of territory surveillance (DGST) and (Spain’s) information general commissioner of the national police to a rank of excellence in relations between Morocco and Spain”, goes on the release, pointing out that “the two security services are working in an excellent atmosphere of mutual trust, recognition and respect” in the “very sensitive and complex” field of fighting terrorism.
On Wednesday, Spanish Security state secretary Francisco Martinez Vasquez handed the “Honorary Cross of Police Merit with Red Distinction”, one of the top honorary medals granted to foreigners, to Director General for Territory Surveillance (DGST) Abdellatif Hammouchi.
Two other central directors from the same body were granted by the Security state secretary the “Honorary Cross of Police Merit with White Distinction”.
The distinctions, announced on Oct. 8 on the Spanish Police Day, came in recognition of the excellent relations between the two countries’ security services, based on trust and mutual support.
