MADRID: Police in Barcelona early Tuesday arrested at least 10 Pakistani nationals in connection with 'falsifying identity documents in connection with Islamist terrorism,' Spanish radio reported.

The Spanish news agency Europa Press said seven people had been picked up, with police looking into the falsification of documents and 'a possible link to Islamist terrorism.'

Separately, reports said 15 people suspected of forging passports and other documents for al-Qaeda were arrested.

Spain's Cadena SER radio and other media outlets said at least 10 people were arrested in Barcelona.

Police in the city confirmed an operation was in progress but could not give details.

SER radio said the suspects were from North African countries. It said no explosives had been found and that police were searching for a printer used to forge passports.

Elsewhere, four Indians and one Pakistani were arrested in the eastern town of Mislata as part of same operation, a police spokeswoman in the nearby regional capital of Valencia said.

Dozens of suspected militants have been arrested in Spain since the Sept 11, 2001, attacks in New York and Washington, and again after the commuter train bombings in 2004 in Madrid.

On Jan 20, six Pakistanis were arrested in Barcelona on suspicion of tax fraud and diverting funds to terrorist groups. They were released days later for lack of evidence.