At least 10 terror suspects entered the Spanish enclave of Ceuta during the mass migrant crossing last week, it has been claimed.
Spanish counter-terrorism police reportedly identified the individuals as being previously arrested, convicted and expelled to Morocco over various jihadist offences.
The discovery was made by specialist officers from the Policia Nacional’s General Information Commissariat (CGI) and the Guardia Civil’s Intelligence Headquarters (JIGC).
Both forces have been reviewing surveillance footage and intelligence gathered since the influx began last Thursday.
According to Spanish newspaper El Español, authorities believe some of them could still be among the estimated 5,000 migrants who have yet to be repatriated.
Counter-terrorism teams are analysing footage from border surveillance cameras, images published by the media and videos circulating on social media as part of the investigation.
Security sources said the number of individuals linked to previous jihadist investigations could rise as the review continues.
The report notes that this is not the first time Spain’s security forces have detected suspected jihadists using irregular migration routes to enter the country.
It recalls how three members of a jihadist cell that allegedly planned a Vienna-style rifle attack entered Spain by small boat across the Strait of Gibraltar before being arrested in 2021.
According to official Interior Ministry figures published in 2022, at least 15 Islamist terrorists arrested in previous years had used people-smuggling networks to enter Spain.
The same figures showed that of the 191 radical Islamists arrested between 2018 and 2022, around 8% were irregular migrants.
Spain’s 2023 National Counter-Terrorism Strategy identifies instability in the Sahel and North Africa as a growing security concern, warning that terrorism and irregular migration increasingly overlap and pose risks to Spain’s national security.
The country’s 2024 National Maritime Security Strategy also warns that uncontrolled migration flows could potentially be exploited by state or non-state actors as part of so-called ‘hybrid strategies’ designed to create strategic vulnerabilities.
Authorities have not released the identities of those allegedly identified, nor have they announced any arrests linked to the latest findings. The investigation is ongoing.
