Fresh terror suspects arrested in Malaga

13 March 2004

MALAGA – Three more suspects were arrested for alleged links to the 11 March massacre in Madrid, legal sources said Tuesday.

The judge in charge of the case, Juan del Olmo, ordered the arrests which were carried out Monday night.

All three are Moroccans and two lived in a village in the hills near Malaga, which is popular with tourists.

Two were named as Abdelghafour Abderrazzak and Mohammed El Barrouchi who lived in the village of Monda. Aberrazzak was said to be a ‘laid-back’ character who liked football.

The third prisoner was not named but lived with his wife in the Huelin area of Malaga, but was arrested in Coin. He was suspected of trying to steal explosives.

Meanwhile,  Spain’s Interior Minister said Tuesday that preventing terrorist sleeper cells from carrying out attacks will be the main thrusts of the investigation.

Acebes said during the past month police had carried out an “extraordinary” investigation which had brought the arrest of 18 suspected terrorists and collaborators responsible for the March 11 atrocity.

Seven others had blown themselves up.

Acebes added: “The terrorist group who carried out the attacks and those who had the most responsibility are detained or have killed themselves.”

He said: “We knew from their documents and a video that during Easter Week they would have gone on bombing and carrying out other massacres.”

Acebes said King Juan Carlos had congratulated the security forces, who were behind the successes against the terrorists.

He said there were thought to have been between ten or 12 who carried to took a direct roll in the massacre, while others were collaborators.

But Acebes said: “It is much more difficult to investigate these sleeper cells because they do not have terrorist antecedents.

“In this respect, in the future, how to prevent sleeper cells from carrying out attacks is something we will have to study carefully.”

[Copyright EFE with Expatica]

Subject: Spanish news