Posted on 01/10/2006 7:55:12 PM PST by Ernest_at_the_Beach
MADRID (Reuters) - Spanish police arrested 17 people on Tuesday suspected of helping recruit Islamist militants to carry out attacks in Iraq, Spanish state radio reported.
The early-morning arrests were carried out in Madrid and Barcelona and in the Basque country in northern Spain, it said.
A spokesman for the Civil Guard confirmed that an operation was going on, but would not give details.
The radio said those arrested included the imam of a mosque and a suspect who may be linked to an attack on Italian police in Iraq.
A suicide bombing attack on an Italian military police base in southern Iraq in 2003 killed 18 Italians and nine Iraqis.
Last month, Spain arrested 16 people accused of recruiting Islamist militants and a further two surrendered.
A judge jailed six of them on suspicion of recruiting people to send as suicide bombers or insurgents to Iraq, Chechnya or Kashmir. The other 12 were conditionally released pending further investigation.
That investigation focused on a mosque in the southern Spanish city of Malaga that Spanish officials said was frequented by people with radical Islamist beliefs.
Wasn't Spain "punished" recently for it's involvement in a Iraq by the same group that was arrested? Why would the Socialist Spanish arrest "Freedom Fighters"?
No idea.....
Despite public posturing Euro government counter-intelligence and law enforcement agencies do not pussy-foot terrorists.
Interesting!
The northern region seems to have some issues. Interesting indeed. The general is slammed by some and praised by others. I do not know enough of the intricacies of Spanish politics to make an informed statement regarding their internal policies. I do know that whatever benefits American interests long term will be railed against in the media.
I was wondering the same thing. Maybe the Tolerati aren't so tolerant after all?
Hmmm.. Imagine that, a imam , of all people ! Religion of peace ! /s
This is great news! Now the Spaniards can appease some Islamofascists in person! /sarc
If you want to read more about the case of the general
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1553833/posts
In Spain the army is not involved in the anti-terrorist fight. This is basically led by Guardia Civil (it's a police corps with military rules).
Our terrorists have never been so grouped to send the army against them, Guardia Civil has proved that they are by far more efficient in this kind of struggle. They are great professionals and, even more difficult, have always been able to keep a stright line regardless what government was in charge, probably the fact that for a couple of decades they were the only objective of terrorists made it, in some way, something personal...
Benefits for the americans (and everyone) will not be long term but inmediate, this guys were going to be send to Irak for suicide bombings.
I'm glad that after the shitty retreat we can do something positive.
Thanks for the informative response.
Anything done to lock up these Terrorists is appreciated!
Looks like the Spaniards have done some good work on the GWOT.
They may have a socialist government in place, but with all the crap that goes on in that country it appears they are doing a good if not excellant job. By crap, I mean long term warring factions, plus the obviouse problem with al-Qaeda infiltration, setting up home bases.
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