VZCZCXRO5357
PP RUEHAG RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLZ RUEHROV
DE RUEHMD #3042/01 3481247
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P 141247Z DEC 06
FM AMEMBASSY MADRID
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MADRID 003042 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PTER PGOV SP
SUBJECT: SPAIN: POLICE ARREST 11 ISLAMIST EXTREMISTS IN 
CEUTA 
 
REF: A. MADRID DAILY REPORT DECEMBER 12 
     ¶B. 13 
 
MADRID 00003042  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1. (U) Spanish National Police arrested ten Spanish nationals 
and one Moroccan national in the North African enclave of 
Ceuta on charges that the men were plotting to carry out a 
terrorist attack.  Among the detainees were two brothers of 
former Spanish national Guantanamo detainee Hamed 
Abderrahaman Ahmed (known in Spain as the "Spanish Taliban," 
whose conviction on terrorism charges was overturned earlier 
this year by the Spanish Supreme Court. (NOTE: The Court 
threw out evidence against Abderrahaman gathered at 
Guantanamo and in prior telephonic intercepts by Spanish 
police. END NOTE).  According to initial reports, the 11 men 
are accused of membership in either the Moroccan Islamic 
Combat Group (GICM) or the related "Al Haraka Salafiya 
Jihadiya" organization.  The arrests (code named "Operation 
Dune") were ordered by the high-profile Magistrate Baltasar 
Garzon and involved approximately 300 Spanish officers, 
including a large contingent that arrived in Ceuta from 
mainland Spain.  Spanish police first began monitoring the 
suspects in the spring of 2005. 
 
¶2. (U) In announcing the arrests, Minister of Interior 
Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba said that the group had not selected 
a specific target, but was in the initial stages of planning 
for an attack.  Other police sources report that the 
suspected extremists was considering strikes against a 
fairground/convention center in Ceuta, or possibly a military 
armory.  Subsequent reports indicate that the cell had 
established contact with three Muslim soldiers in Spain's 
Ceuta garrison with the aim of obtaining weapons and 
explosives.  Police did not find any weapons, but seized 
extremist propaganda, computer equipment, cash, and cell 
phones.According to press reports, some police officials in 
Ceuta complained that the arrests had cut off an important 
source of intelligence and had been unnecessary since the 
plotters were not ready to act. 
 
¶3. (U) Observers note with concern that several of the 
arrests took place in the Ceuta neighborhood of "Principe 
Alfonso," which is gaining a reputation as an extremist 
hotbed.  A recent report by University of Granada Academics 
Javier Jordan and Humberto Trujillo focused on troubling 
elements in this community of 27,000, including the relative 
poverty of Principe Alfonso, the presence of an active drug 
trafficking network, increasing signs of religious extremism, 
and the near absence of a police presence in the 
neighborhood.  According to their report (which post shared 
with EUR/WE and S/CT), individuals in Principe have vandalize 
police facilities and ambushed police cars in recent years. 
Residents of Principe Alfonso told reporters that police had 
overreacted in carrying out Operation Dune and community 
leader Laarbi Mohamed described the detainees as "good boys 
who had never caused any problems."  See para 5 for 
additional information regarding the detainees. 
 
//COMMENT// 
 
¶4. (SBU) Police doctrine under the Zapatero Government has 
stressed disruption of potential terrorist plans, even at the 
cost of risking sources and methods or moving before 
sufficient evidence has been gathered to guarantee 
convictions.  There is undoubtedly a political element as 
well, since Zapatero has been at pains to demonstrate that he 
is as tough on terrorists as former President Aznar was and 
does not want to risk the execution of any attack. 
Regardless of any possible political motivations, these 
arrests are certain to stoke growing fears that Islamist 
extremists intend to target Spain's control of enclaves in 
Ceuta and Melilla.  The detentions may also draw scrutiny of 
the Supreme Court's decision to overturn the conviction of 
Hamed Abderrahaman Ahmed despite ample evidence of his 
involvement in extremist activity. 
 
//OPERATION DUNE DETAINEES// 
 
¶5. (U) This is the biographic data that was immediately 
available.  We expect more detailed biographic information 
shortly: 
 
-- Mohamed Fuad Mohamed Abdelelam (DOB: 1971) was identified 
as the leader of the group. 
 
MADRID 00003042  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
 
-- Abdeldrim Chaib Abdelaziz (DOB: 1976) 
 
-- Mohamed Tarik Chaib Abdelaziz (DOB: 1977).  Brother of 
Abdeldrim Chaib Abdelaziz. 
 
-- Hlasin Mustafa Mohamed (DOB: 1982) 
 
-- Karin Abdeselam Mohamed (DOB: 1974) 
 
-- Mustafa Abderrahaman Ahmed (DOB: 1976). Brother of 
"Spanish Taliban" Hamed Abderrahaman Ahmed. 
 
-- Yusef Abderrahaman Ahmed (DOB: 1983). Brother of "Spanish 
Taliban" Hamed Abderrahaman Ahmed. 
 
-- Reduan Ahmed Abderrahaman (DOB: 1980) 
 
-- Ahmed Abderrayat Laarbi (DOB: 1968) 
 
-- Ahmed Mustafa Mohamed (DOB: 1982).  Mustafa Mohamed had a 
letter in his possession from Tarek Hamed Hamu, who was 
arrested in "Operation Tigris" in June 2005 for helping 
organize the travel of extremists to fight in Iraq. 
 
-- Rachid Mustafa Mohamed (DOB: 1974). Brother of Ahmed 
Mustafa Mohamed.  Rachid Mustafa Mohamed was reportedly an 
employee of the Ceuta municipal police. 
AGUIRRE