Spain arrests Algerian man on trafficking, terror charges

Spain’s Guardia Civil said Thursday it has arrested an Algerian man suspected of leading a gang that trafficked people from North Africa to Europe and sent fighters to militant groups in Libya.

The Guardia Civil’s intelligence service detained the man on the night of July 31 on the Mediterranean island of Mallorca. He faces terror charges, a Guardia Civil statement said. It did not identify him by name.

The man is believed to have led, from Europe, a human trafficking gang in North Africa, according to the statement.

He is also suspected of facilitating the movement of militants to Libya from Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia, using the revenue from the group’s human trafficking activities.

Authorities also suspect the trafficking organization has sent terrorists from Algeria to Spain, and some of them have been arrested, the statement said, without providing further details.

Interpol and Algeria cooperated in the Algerian man’s arrest. He had several identity documents and moved around frequently, it said.

The investigation is continuing and more arrests may be made, police said.