The Spanish national police recently expelled a 53-year-old Moroccan citizen, following his 2018 arrest and conviction for terrorism-related activities linked to a cell operating in Catalonia. This expulsion is accompanied by a ten-year ban from entering the Schengen area. The man, a hairdresser in Mataró, was involved in recruiting fighters for the terrorist group ISIS at his workplace. According to Spanish media, the investigation began in 2015, with cooperation from Morocco, which helped Spanish authorities confirm the suspect's role in recruiting jihadists and sending them to Syria. He also had direct ties to individuals linked to various terrorist cells. In late 2019, Spain's General Commission of Foreigners launched proceedings against him based on a report from the Civil Guard's Information Department, identifying his activities as a national security threat. In 2022, the individual was conditionally released but remained under close surveillance. The Spanish National Court approved his expulsion in mid-February. Additionally, one of his close relatives is also connected to terrorism-related activities. His brother-in-law joined ISIS in Syria, where he was killed in combat.
