Spain arrests 16 terror suspects

SPANISH authorities have arrested 16 suspected Islamic extremists, some linked to the bloody unrest in Iraq and others to last year’s deadly Madrid train bombings.

More than 500 police were mobilised for the swoops, which were carried out in the regions around Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia and Andalucia as well as in the Spanish enclave of Cueta, north of Morocco.

Eleven of the suspects “are part of an Islamic network implanted in Spain and linked to the Ansar al-Islam/Zarqawi network”, the interior ministry said yesterday, alluding to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, alleged to be the mastermind behind some of Iraq’s bloodiest violence against the US-led coalition.

“The activities of this Islamic network were focused on the recruiting and deployment of mujahedin in Iraq to commit suicide attacks against coalition forces,” it added.

Of those 11 suspects, seven are Moroccan, two Algerian and two from Cueta, the interior ministry said.

“Many had demonstrated their willingness to become martyrs for Islam,” it said, adding that they were “extremely dangerous”.

The five other alleged extremists were held on Tuesday for a suspected role in the March 11, 2004, Madrid train bombings which killed 191 people and injured some 1,900. It was Spain’s worst ever terrorist attack and has been claimed by al-Qaida.

Spanish justice authorities have so far identified some 100 people as part of their investigation into the bombings, and 24 remain in custody.

Separately, another 24 are currently on trial in Spain accused of links to al-Qaida, including three for involvement in preparations for the September 11, 2001 attacks in the United States.