Eurabia Alert. "Spain: Eighteen arrests during nationwide anti-terror raids," from [1] AdnKronos International, October 16:

Barcelona, 16 Oct. (AKI) - Spanish police have arrested at least 18 terror suspects of Moroccan origin with alleged links to Al-Qaeda in the provinces of Catalonia, Andalucia and Madrid on Thursday, reported Spanish media.

The suspects helped some of the suspects in the deadly bombings of Madrid commuters in March 2004 to escape and were allegedly in charge of recruiting militants and financing Islamist activities, prosecutors allege.

The raids were carried out in the northeastern town of Santa Coloma de Gramanet where eight suspects were nabbed. The other arrests took place in the towns of Badalona near Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Valles and Villanova i la Geltru among others.

The raids were ordered by top Spanish prosecutor Baltasar Garzon.