10 June 2008

MADRID - Spanish police have arrested eight Algerians on charges related to Islamist terrorism, the interior ministry said Tuesday.

The eight were believed to belong to a cell which spread propaganda, recruited volunteers, and lent economic and logistical support to groups forming part of the North African branch of the al-Qaeda terrorist network, the Algerian-based al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb.

Police also held 10 other people, whose possible links with the detainees were being investigated.

Five of the Algerians were held in Castellon in the east, two in the Catalan capital Barcelona and one in Pamplona in the northern Navarre region.

Police seized EUR 7,000 in cash, receipts of money transfers to Algeria, CDs, videos, documents and other materials.

Police were in contact with foreign police forces to determine whether the suspects formed part of international terrorist networks.

The two held in Barcelona were not thought to have links with a cell dismantled there in January which is suspected of planning suicide bombings against the city's transport network. Eleven of the suspected cell members were indicted last week.

[dpa / Expatica]