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Spanish sleeper cells 'waiting for order to attack'
Anti-terrorist police have uncovered evidence of Islamic extremist "sleeper cells" in northern Spain.During investigations in La Rioja, Navarre and the Basque Country, police say they believe they have discovered sleeper cells in Logroño and Vitoria. A report in the Spanish daily El Mundo said anti-terrorist police and security services were on a state of "maximum alert". In northern Spain, security services believe Islamic extremists have been active in recent months, according to anonymous sources quoted by the paper. These sleeper cells appear ready to launch attacks when the order is given by commanders either in the country or outside. All those under suspicion are working in regular jobs and are not illegal immigrants, the source added. Spanish security services are not sure if they can be directly linked to Al-Qaeda or Osama bin Laden or if they are involved with other groups, like the Algerian Salafist terrorist organisation. Security sources said though their intelligence was reliable they did not want the public to be alarmed. Before the Madrid bombings last year, there were thought to be about 400 Islamic radicals active in Spain. Now that number is thought to be much less. Logroño is a city with a large Muslim population which security sources believe could be the centre for radical cells not just from Spain, but south-west France. Posted by: lotp 2005-12-02 |
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