Spanish and Moroccan police have arrested nine people suspected of belonging to a militant cell with links to the extremist group ISIL.<br /><br />The nine – one Spaniard and eight Moroccans – were detained in the early hours of Friday morning.<br /><br />The Spaniard, the alleged head of the cell, is said to have served in the Spanish army and to have been responsible for recruiting jihadists.<br /><br />The arrests took place in the Spanish enclave of Melilla on the north African coast and at Nador in neighbouring Morocco.<br /><br />Spain has detained dozens of suspected jihadists in recent years, especially in its two north African enclaves.<br /><br />In August two Spanish women were detained in Melilla and accused of planning to enlist with ISIL in Iraq or Syria.<br /><br />Those arrested on Friday are said to have coordinated training with groups linked to Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQMI) jihadists in northern Mali and to have worked with a weapons and explosives specialist.
