Seven arrested in Barcelona under suspicion of Islamist terrorism related activities

Barcelona (ACN).- Seven men have been arrested in Barcelona and Badalona under suspicion of Islamist terrorism-related activities. The men are accused of falsifying passports for members of Al-Qaeda to use during their attacks. In fact, one of the passports used during the 2008 Mumbai attacks, in which 86 people died, was allegedly falsified in Catalonia by this cell. Police in Thailand have also arrested three men who supposedly coordinated this international network for fake documentation. In fact, police suspect that there are similar cells in other countries around the world.

The seven detainees in Catalonia are from Pakistan and Nigeria. The police have started searches in their flats in Barcelona's 'El Raval' neighbourhood, near Las Ramblas, and in the near-city of Badalona. They have since found ten fake passports, 50 mobile phones, computers and cash in dollars, euros and sterling pounds. Most of the material was due to be sent to South-East Asia. The investigation that led to the arrest started one year ago, when the police discovered a lot of fake passports being sent from Barcelona to countries in South-East Asia. The passports were made to be used by Al-Qaeda members during the commission of attacks. Most of the documentation was stolen from tourists visiting the Catalan capital. The arrested men will give evidence in the next days in front of the Spanish judge Ismael Moreno. The judge will decide whether to accuse the men of document falsification or also collaboration with a terrorist organization. The police are still investigating, and more arrests are likely.