Spain’s National Police and Civil Guard are continuing to verify the identities of thousands of people following the mass border crossing into Ceuta. According to police sources cited by Spanish media, around ten individuals identified so far are believed to have previously been expelled from Spain over alleged links to jihadism. The figure has not yet been officially confirmed by the Spanish authorities
Spain Expat Press Editorial Team
Spanish security forces are facing an additional challenge in the aftermath of the unprecedented events in Ceuta. Alongside managing the migration crisis, investigators are working to establish exactly who entered Spanish territory and whether any of those individuals were already known to the security services.
The National Police and Civil Guard are examining extensive photographic and video material from the border crossings. CCTV footage, photographs and videos taken during the events are reportedly being compared with information held in national and international databases.
Around ten individuals reportedly under investigation
According to police sources cited by Spanish media, approximately ten people identified during these checks are believed to have previously been expelled from Spain.
More significantly, those expulsions are reported to have been connected to alleged links to jihadism.
The information should, however, be treated with caution. Spain’s Ministry of the Interior, National Police and Civil Guard have not yet publicly confirmed the figure of around ten individuals in an official statement.
Investigations remain ongoing, and further checks could identify additional people who are already known to the authorities or appear in security databases.
Thousands of identities to be checked
The sheer scale of the events has made the work of the security forces particularly difficult. Thousands of people entered Ceuta within a very short period, leaving the authorities with the considerable task of establishing identities, checking personal details and comparing them with national and international records.
Figures regarding the number of people who remain in Ceuta or elsewhere on Spanish territory and have not yet been returned have varied considerably depending on the source and the time at which the estimates were made.
For this reason, no definitive figure can currently be established with confidence.
Spain’s National Court seeks information
The events in Ceuta have also attracted the attention of Spain’s National Court, the Audiencia Nacional.
The court has requested information concerning the mass border crossing as it examines the circumstances surrounding the events and whether there may be grounds for further criminal investigation.
A key part of the security assessment will be determining whether any of those who entered Spanish territory had previously come to the attention of the authorities in connection with terrorism, radicalisation or other security-related matters.
If reports concerning previously expelled individuals are confirmed, the Ceuta crisis would therefore take on an additional dimension, extending beyond migration and border management to questions surrounding Spain’s national security.
Until identity checks have been completed and the authorities issue an official statement, however, the figures currently being reported should be regarded as provisional.
