Spanish intelligence warned of Ceuta migrant plan a day before mass crossing
Documents released by Spain show its spy agency alerted Moroccan counterparts and Madrid to social-media plans for migrants to breach Ceuta’s border on July 29, a day before more than 70,000 people entered the enclave.
Spain’s National Intelligence Centre (CNI) sent a note on July 29 to Morocco’s DGST and DGED agencies warning that social-media groups were coordinating attempts to enter the Spanish enclave of Ceuta by scaling or swimming around the border fence during Morocco’s Throne Day celebrations. The same day, CNI messaged the Spanish government’s representative in Ceuta about the threat, citing two online groups with a combined following of about 180,000 users.
The warning came a day before more than 70,000 migrants crossed into Ceuta, an event that left at least 140 dead according to NGOs. Local authorities say over 10,000 migrants, including many unaccompanied minors, remain in makeshift camps or on the streets, prompting frequent protests by residents.
Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares told reporters that the documents did not indicate any advance notice of the scale of the July 30 surge. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said investigations found no evidence that Moroccan authorities orchestrated the crossing, despite earlier police reports suggesting otherwise. The Interior Ministry noted that Moroccan border police were largely passive on the day, even though Spain had deployed an additional 1,000 police and soldiers.
In response to public demand for transparency, the government released 40 intelligence reports covering July 1-31, which show a buildup of migration activity from July 25 onward, including an arrival of roughly 1,700 migrants by sea. The European Commission announced a €114.7 million aid package to help Spain manage the situation in Ceuta.