A large-scale crackdown on jihadist terrorism in Spain has resulted in at least ten arrests across the provinces of Alicante, Málaga, Barcelona, Murcia and Madrid. The operation, carried out by officers of the General Information Directorate, remains open, and those detained will be brought before the National Court on Friday.
According to sources at the Interior Ministry, the suspects “were not going to carry out an attack.” Instead, they stand accused of attempting to ship weapons abroad, allegedly to conflict zones.
Spain on Level Four of its anti-terror alert
Spain currently sits at Level 4 of 5 on its anti-terrorist alert scale, signalling a high risk of attack. The alert system was introduced in Spain in 2005, in the wake of the 11 March Madrid bombings, as part of the country’s Anti-Terrorist Prevention and Protection Plan.
According to the Interior Ministry, Level 4 of 5 entails reinforcing security measures and stepping up the monitoring and surveillance capabilities of the agencies tasked with safeguarding public safety.
