Spain faces terror threat from Sahrawis linked to Tindouf camps
Sahrawis from the Tindouf camps involved in terrorist groups operating in the Sahel pose a serious threat to Spain, a country many of them know well.
«According to intelligence sources, around a dozen Sahrawis born in the Tindouf camps (Algeria) took part in the ' Holidays in Peace ' program, which allows children to spend summers in Spain, away from the harsh conditions of the desert and refugee camps. This is why they speak fluent Spanish», reported La Vanguardia on Sunday, June 8.
Intelligence services have also raised concerns about the growing presence of Polisario-linked individuals in leadership roles within terrorist organizations in the Sahel, such as the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (GSIM) and the Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa (MUJAO).
These warnings come just three days after Spanish authorities arrested two Sahrawis from the Tindouf camps on suspicion of terrorist activity in Spain.
Before being killed by French forces in Mali in 2021, Adnane Abou Walid al-Sahraoui recruited dozens of youths from the Tindouf camps into his group, the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara. Among them was Abou Houzeifa, also known as Hugo, who was killed by the Malian army in April 2024.
The La Vanguardia article has sparked outrage among Polisario supporters in Spain. «We express our deep concern and condemnation over the publication of articles on Sunday, June 8, by Enric Juliana and Joaquín Vera, which—under the guise of geopolitical analysis—uncritically echo the official Moroccan narrative and a discourse of fear, effectively criminalizing the Sahrawi cause», wrote a Polisario-affiliated media outlet.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Morocco World
an hour ago
- Morocco World
Princess Lalla Hasnaa Participates in Mediterranean Dialogue on Connectivity at UN Summit
Rabat – Princess Lalla Hasnaa, representing King Mohammed VI, took part on Monday in the 'Summit for a Connected Mediterranean,' held at the historic Palais des Rois Sardes in Nice. The event, led by French President Emmanuel Macron, brought together heads of state and government from Europe, the Mediterranean region, and the Gulf, along with representatives of international and regional organizations. Held on the margins of the third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC-3), the summit placed the Mediterranean at the heart of urgent conversations about the future of global connectivity. King Mohammed VI, in a message delivered by Princess Lalla Hasnaa at the summit, called on African nations to take greater ownership of their maritime spaces, describing the seas as vital to the continent's future. He welcomed the participation of African leaders at what he described as an 'unprecedented summit' focused on the continent's 30,000 kilometers of shared coastline. The King also lauded French President Emmanuel Macron for his dedication to ocean protection and urged African countries to move from recognizing the importance of marine resources to taking concrete steps to protect and develop them. He noted that while Africa's seas offer immense potential, they remain largely underexploited and poorly safeguarded. Far from a routine gathering, it marked a deliberate push to reimagine how countries around the sea relate to one another, by land, by sea, and through digital networks. The summit unfolded with a shared sense of purpose. Delegations laid out plans to improve transport infrastructure, expand digital links, and develop energy corridors. These announcements reflect a growing awareness that the region's future depends on cooperation rather than competition. Morocco's presence in this forum signaled its active role in shaping that future. Through the voice of Princess Lalla Hasnaa, the country expressed its commitment to building stronger bridges across the Mediterranean, geographically and politically. In a world where divisions deepen and environmental threats grow, the summit in Nice stood as a reminder that connectivity is not only about cables and roads, but about trust, vision, and a willingness to act together. Tags: Morocco france tiesPrincess Lalla HasnaaUN Ocean ConferenceUNOC-3
Morocco World
2 hours ago
- Morocco World
Macron Applauds Morocco's Leadership in Ocean Conservation at UN Conference
Rabat – At the opening of the 'Africa for the Ocean' summit in Nice, French President Emmanuel Macron expressed admiration for what he described as King Mohammed VI's strong and forward-looking commitment to building a blue economy for Africa. Speaking alongside Princess Lalla Hasnaa, who represented the Moroccan monarch at the event, Macron described the King's message as 'clear' and 'decisive' in guiding the continent toward sustainable ocean development. King Mohammed VI addressed the summit with a message urging African nations to take greater ownership of their seas, which he described as central to the continent's future. Delivered by Princess Lalla Hasnaa, the message welcomed the presence of African leaders at what the monarch called an 'unprecedented summit' focused on Africa's 30,000 kilometers of shared coastline. In his message, the King commended President Emmanuel Macron for his commitment to ocean protection and emphasized the pressing need for Africa to move beyond acknowledging the value of its marine resources to actively safeguarding and developing them. He warned that while the continent's seas hold immense promise, they remain largely untapped and insufficiently protected. At the core of the King's message was a conviction that Africa's oceans, if managed responsibly, could serve as a foundation for long-term prosperity across the continent. The summit, organized ahead of the 2025 UN Ocean Conference, brought together African leaders, policymakers, and international partners to reflect on the continent's ocean potential and the responsibilities that come with it. For Macron, Morocco's place at the helm felt natural. 'Morocco stands out on the continent,' he said, noting the country's efforts in ocean governance, its stance against plastic pollution, and its push for regional cooperation. 'These are not just policies, but signs of a clear vision,' he added. Macron reserved special words for the Atlantic Initiative, a project launched by King Mohammed VI to give landlocked African countries access to the Atlantic. 'This idea reflects a continental vision, one that doesn't leave any nation behind,' he said. He also linked this vision to past milestones, including the launch of Tanger Med two decades ago. 'What began as a bold idea is now the most important port in the Mediterranean,' he said. Looking ahead, Macron pointed to the upcoming opening of the Dakhla port as the next chapter in Morocco's ocean strategy. 'It marks more than infrastructure,' he said. 'It marks a determination to connect all of Africa to global maritime routes.' The French leader also reflected on the symbolism of the summit itself. 'It is not by accident that Morocco and France are co-hosting this event,' he said. 'We share a shoreline, a long-standing relationship, and a shared desire to face essential questions together.' Delegates explored ways to unlock investment for ocean-related infrastructure, ensure sustainable management of fish stocks, and build better ties between landlocked and coastal countries. Tags: Emmanuel MacronFrance Morocco tiesKing Mohammed VIUNOC-3
Morocco World
4 hours ago
- Morocco World
Sahrawi Movement for Peace Condemns Polisario's Failed Strategy
Doha – In an unsparing appeal to Sahrawi leadership, the Sahrawi Movement for Peace (MSP) has issued an open letter denouncing the Polisario Front's disastrous policies and urging immediate dialogue amidst catastrophic conditions in Tindouf refugee camps and suffocating international isolation. The letter, published on June 4, from Madrid, directly confronts the Sahrawi elite, demanding honest debate about the movement's future. 'We are at a turning point where we must decide if we persist in a dead-end path or seek realistic, viable and just solutions,' the MSP declared. The organization blasts the Polisario Front's unilateral resumption of war in November 2020 as an irredeemable error and a catastrophic misstep with 'predictable but devastating consequences.' According to the letter, Moroccan drones have established overwhelming military supremacy, decimating Polisario positions and shattering the 'status quo' established in 1991. The MSP exposes the Polisario's growing diplomatic irrelevance, stating that 'many countries have frozen their relations with the 'Sahrawi Republic'' while an increasing number of countries support Morocco's autonomy proposal as 'the most serious and credible' solution. Morocco is no longer merely navigating the Western Sahara file — it is dictating its terms. With the United Kingdom becoming the latest heavyweight to endorse Rabat's Autonomy Plan, alongside the United States, France, Spain, and nearly 120 countries, the tide has unmistakably turned. What began as a misguided separatist project, driven by obsolete ideology and regional agendas, has now collapsed under the weight of reality — giving way to a geopolitical landslide in Morocco's favor. 'The living conditions are deteriorating rapidly: shortages, insecurity, frustration. Despair has taken hold in the collective mind,' the MSP writes about the dire situation in the Tindouf camps. The movement's blistering critique comes after they condemned the Algerian regime in April following what they described as 'the cold-blooded murder of two young Sahrawis by Algerian soldiers' in the Dajla refugee camp. 'These atrocities are not isolated incidents. The Sahrawis living in the camps are victims of frequent shootings, intimidations and violent repressions by Algerian forces,' the MSP thundered in an urgent communiqué to the United Nations and MINURSO. This incident occurred shortly after Algerian troops reportedly gunned down Sid Ahmed Belali and wounded nine others near the Gara Djebilet mine, with three victims clinging to life in critical condition. A seat at the table Positioning itself as a credible alternative to the flailing and increasingly obsolete Polisario Front, the MSP is demanding a seat at the table in the UN-led political process on Western Sahara. The movement describes itself as 'the true voice for an important part of the Sahrawi population that aspires to a negotiated political solution.' American Enterprise Institute scholar Michael Rubin has reinforced this stance, urging the United Nations to strip recognition from the Polisario Front as the legitimate representative of the Sahrawi people. In an April 7 analysis, Rubin condemned the Polisario as 'a vestige of the Cold War' that 'holds wives and children as hostages to prevent refugee resettlement.' 'The Sahrawi Movement for Peace not only rejects violence but also seeks consensus across broad segments of the Sahrawi population,' Rubin wrote, noting the movement has secured recognition from Socialist International and growing support from the Spanish government. The MSP, first embraced Morocco's autonomy proposal in its 2022 Canary Islands Manifesto, reconvened recently at the same location to produce a second manifesto calling on 'the UN Secretary-General to persuade his Personal Envoy to invite and include the Sahrawis for Peace Movement as a fully recognized interlocutor in the political process.' In their scorching letter, the MSP warns that failed movements like 'the PKK in Turkey or the FARC in Colombia ended up surrendering unconditionally without achieving their objectives,' while others like 'the Biafran secessionists or the People's Mujahedeen of Iran saw their causes disappear into oblivion, pain, and chaos.' The MSP implores abandoning the failed armed struggle for 'political options based on political dialogue, in flexible frameworks of coexistence' modeled after 'moderate nationalisms like those of Iraqi Kurdistan, the Basque Country, Catalonia, or Northern Ireland in England.' 'It is time to leave behind divisions, acronyms, labels of 'traitors' or 'loyalists', 'heroes' or 'villains',' the MSP advocates, issuing a grave admonition that 'history will not be lenient with those who, at a crucial moment like this, choose silence or inaction.' Tags: Polisario FrontSahrawi Movement for PeaceWestern sahara
