(AKI) - Spanish paramilitary police early on Wednesday detained this morning six alleged members of an Islamist cell in the northern Spanish city of Burgos, who they believe to have been involved in recruiting jihadist to carry out terror attacks internationally, including in Iraq. The cell was allegedly headed by Algerian national Abdelkader Ayachine and Moroccan national Wissan Lofti. All the suspects have ties to fundamentalist (Salafist) jihadi ideology, according to Spain's interior ministry.
Six houses as well as a butcher's believed to belong to members of the cell were raided in the ongoing anti-terror probe. Numerous computer items were confiscated during the operation, according to the interior ministry.
The group's alleged activities included organising clandestine meetings, fundraising for jailed terrorists, extremist prosyletism and distribution of audiovisual propaganda materials.
Many of these activities are alleged to have taken place via Internet chat rooms and forums, making it "The first Islamist terror cell in Spain to conduct their indoctrination and inspiration to global Jihad through the Internet," said the interior ministry in a report on its website.
The Spanish Civil Guard investigation has linked the cell with many other countries and Wednesday's arrests were made in collaboration with security and intelligence agencies from Sweden, Denmark and the United States.