HIBAPRESS – Mohamed Zariouh
On Friday, January 16, 2026, the Spanish National Court sentenced two people of Moroccan origin to six years and six months in prison each, on the grounds of their involvement in cases related to glorifying extremist terrorism and recruiting young people and minors inside the occupied city of Melilla.
Data from the case, as reported by the Spanish press, revealed that the individuals in question had been active since 2015 through digital spaces and electronic forums, where they worked to disseminate hardline content that adopts the theses of the "ISIS" organization, before their activity developed, starting in 2020, into direct recruitment through in-person meetings within the city. The court revealed that these meetings were not limited to adults, but included minors who were subjected to a hardline religious discourse based on violent interpretations, in a context characterized by weak monitoring. The investigation also documented correspondence between one of the convicts and his nephew, who was 12 years old, in which he exploited family ties to transmit extremist ideas and inciting materials, in addition to video recordings showing group activities for children and minors under the supervision of adults, including people who had previously been convicted in terrorism cases. This case raises questions about the effectiveness of the security measures adopted in Melilla, especially with regard to protecting minors from ideological exploitation, at a time when official Spanish speeches emphasize the imposition of strict control over the city, without addressing the social factors that are exploited as an entry point for extremism. In contrast, Morocco continues to adopt a comprehensive preventive approach to combat extremism, based on consolidating moderate religiosity, strengthening mechanisms for protecting minors, and working to dismantle ideological recruitment networks, a policy that has received international praise as an effective model in combating extremism.
