MADRID: Spanish police arrested at least 14 suspected Islamist militants in a series of nationwide anti-terrorist raids on Monday, a spokesman said. Officers arrested 11 people in the Catalonia region, two near Madrid and one at Malaga in the southern region of Andalusia, said a police spokesman. The operation was continuing, he added.

The raids targeted a network suspected of sending Islamist fighters abroad, a police spokesman told the news agency.

But he didn’t confirm a report by the Cadena Ser radio station that recruits were sent to Iraq and Afghanistan. One of the 11 arrested in Catalonia was a minor, the police spokesman added.

Most of those arrested were Moroccan, said the Europa Press agency. Police did not find any weapons of explosives, the agency added. Police is analysing computer equipment seized in the raids in the Catalan capital Barcelona and the towns of Igualada and Santa Coloma de Gramanet, Cadena Ser reported.

The operation, codenamed “Tala”, was directed by anti-terrorist judge Baltasar Garzon, it added. Spanish courts are currently trying 29 defendants accused of carrying out the March 2004 Madrid train bombings, in which 191 were killed.

Madrid has also become more vigilant after recent attacks in north Africa by militants declaring themselves loyal to Al Qaeda, who have also threatened to conduct Jihad in Spain.—AFP