Rabat – Spanish Interior Minister Juan Ignacio Zoido said Tuesday in Rabat that two men suspected of having links with the Catalonia terror attacks on August 17 and 18 have been arrested in Morocco.
Zoido was in Rabat for “an exchange at the highest level” with his Moroccan counterpart about the investigation into the attacks, which have lead to the death of 16 people in Spain.
“Thanks to the permanent contacts and the collaboration between the two countries, the Moroccan security services have carried out two arrests here in Morocco related to the attacks in Barcelona and Cambrils,” said the minister.
He refused to elaborate on the details, saying that investigations haven not yet finished.
While the main suspects of these attacks are Spanish residents of Moroccan origin, Nasser Bourita, the Moroccan Minister of Foreign Affairs, explained that “the children of the second and third generation Moroccan immigrants who have emerged to European countries need special attention to escape the clutches of terrorism, [which thrive] mainly in uncontrolled mosques or between the hands of extremist imams.”
Nevertheless, the ministers affirmed that Morocco is “working closely” with the Spanish security forces.
According to national television channel 2M, another meeting was held Tuesday in Rabat between Moroccan and Spanish high security officials, including the head of the Moroccan counter-espionage Abdellatif Hammouchi and the head of the intelligence service of the Guardia Civil Pablo Salas.
This is Zoido’s third visit to Morocco since the end of 2016, with the two countries agreeing to collaborate “in an exemplary manner” in the fight against terrorism.
