Spain : More than half of suspected terrorists arrested in 2019 are Moroccan

In 2019, Spain arrested 58 suspected terrorists, twice as many as the previous year, according to data compiled by NGO Memorial Center for Victims of Terrorism. Out of the 58 arrestees, 30 are suspected of having links with ISIS and 10 of working for the terrorist organization Al Qaeda.

Almost 45% of the suspects arrested in Spain are of Moroccan, Syrian and Iraqi origin, Spanish news agency EFE reported. 

«For the first time in recent years, the largest number of arrestees (26) is that of Spanish nationals, although 7 of them are of Moroccan origin, 9 Syrians and 1 Iraqi. They are joined by 22 Moroccans, three Algerians, two Syrians and the rest are from Libya, Iraq, France, Mauritania and Tunisia», the NGO wrote.

Police investigations also show that there are cases where jihadist detainees take advantage of detention with common prisoners to radicalize them and attract them to terrorism.