Spain busts network recruiting women for Islamic State

BARCELONA: A network allegedly involved in recruiting young women to join the Islamic State (IS) militants in Iraq and Syria was busted by Spanish authorities on Tuesday.

Four suspects were arrested in early morning raids as European countries attempt to put a stop to youth travelling to Iraq and Syria to fight alongside militants. Two suspects were arrested in Melilla while the remaining suspects were picked up in Girona and Barcelona in the north eastern Catalonia region.

According to the Spanish interior ministry, suspects detained in Melilla are said to be the ones responsible for creating and operating internet platforms to spread propaganda for the Islamic State.

“In line with the strategy of the Daesh terrorist group, they focused on the recruitment of women who, after a process of indoctrination, would end up joining the terrorist group in conflict zones,” AFP reported citing the interior ministry statement.

One of the suspects is said to be running a virtual community for IS with over 1000 subscribers. Another suspect is said to be a lone-wolf operator who was described as an Islamic State sympathizer-turned-propagandist. While yet another was presented as the one responsible for editing and distributing recruitment videos.

Spanish authorities are currently trying to establish links between the suspects detained in Melilla and those from the Catalonia region.