The Spanish Untouchables

A new tell-all book that details what led to Spanish king Juan Carlos giving up the throne would never have been published just a few years ago in a Spain still deferential to the royal family, experts said.

The volume spares no details on Carlos's 10-year relationship with a German mistress, an infamous elephant hunting debacle and Princess Cristina's upcoming trial in one of Spain's longest-running corruption scandals.

"It's not the king who has changed, it's self-censorship that has changed," said celebrity journalist Antonio Montero.

"Before people knew things and didn't reveal them, but now they are coming out," he added.

"Final de Partida" or "End Game", which debuted Tuesday and nearly sold out its 25,000 copies in 24 hours, comes less than a year after Juan Carlos stepped down in June 2014.

The 77-year-old royal had been off limits to critical reports because of his role in guiding Spain's transition to democracy following the death of longtime dictator General Francisco Franco in 1975.

Juan Carlos became a symbol of stability in the country's young democracy.

"End Game" author Ana Romero instead shows a physically weakened sovereign, whose three children do not visit, "sitting on an empty couch in front of the TV".

Romero believes the acceptance of a tougher depiction of Juan Carlos stems from the influence of a more critical foreign press, which became accessible with the Internet's spread as well as the boom of social media and a string of royal scandals.

There was the 2012 photo of Juan Carlos posing with an elephant he killed on safari in Botswana at a time when Spain was grappling with record unemployment and risked needing an international bailout.

The ex-king's mistress Corinna zu Sayn-Wittgenstein, who is 27 years his junior, was among those who accompanied him on the pricey trip.

Juan Carlos thought of divorcing his wife queen Sofia with whom "he had not been living for years," the book claims, though members of his entourage discouraged him from doing so.

The royal family declined to comment on the book.

A fire broke out on a ferry off Spain’s Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean on Tuesday, forcing the evacuation of 156 passengers and crew in lifeboats and injuring three crew members

A fire broke out on a ferry off Spain’s Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean on Tuesday, forcing the evacuation of 156 passengers and crew in lifeboats and injuring three crew members, officials said.

The ferry operated by Trasmediterranea was traveling from Palma de Mallorca, the capital of the Balearic Islands, to the eastern Spanish port of Valencia when the blaze broke out in its garage for still unknown reasons, the company said in a statement.

“Everyone has been evacuated,” a company spokeswoman told AFP.

Passengers and crew abandoned the ferry Sorrento ferry in lifeboats after it became clear that the fire could not be brought under control with the means on board, Spain’s coast guard said in a statement.

Four crew members were rescued from the ferry by helicopter while the rest of the crew and passengers, including a baby, were picked up by another ferry that was in the area at the time, Trasmediterranea said.

Three crew members who were rescued by helicopter suffered smoke inhalation, the Mallorca port authority said. It had initially said there were around 170 passengers on board the ferry.

The fire broke out at 1:50 p.m. (1150 GMT) when the ferry was 20 nautical miles (37 km) off the coast of Palma de Mallorca, Trasmediterranea said.

Photos published by the online edition of regional daily Diario de Mallorca showed thick plumes of black smoke rising from the vessel.

The ferry’s captain at first felt it was not necessary to evacuate but he then gave the order to abandon ship “due to the intensity of the fire,” Spain’s coast guard said.

The coast guard dispatched four of its ships and a helicopter and ordered other passenger ships in the area to help in the rescue operation.

Spain’s Guardia Civil police sent a helicopter to the scene as well.

Port authority officials said the abandoned ferry could sink because of the damage suffered in the blaze.

The 186-meter (610-foot) long ferry can carry up to 1,000 people and 150 vehicles, according to Trasmediterranea’s website.

The ferry belongs to Italy’s Atlantica CSPA di Navigazione but is operated by Trasmediterranea, a unit of Spanish infrastructure firm Acciona.

Trasmediterranea bills itself as Spain’s largest shipping company, with over 20 passenger and freight ferries linking mainland Spain with the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands in the Atlantic.

Spanish police linked to drug trafficking ring

TWO police officers and a customs official are facing trial accused of assisting drug traffickers. The trio allegedly helped the gang smuggle three consignments of hashish totalling more than 3,600 kilos into Spain via Huelva between October 2010 and February 2011. One Guardia Civil officer warned the traffickers about scheduled patrols and let told them which days were best for avoiding detection. Another placed electronic tracking devices inside patrol cars to allow the gang to track their movement. During a search of his home, police found €6,000 in cash, which he claimed had been given to him by his father, as well as two GPS devices and night vision goggles. The customs officer – based at the port in Muelle del Tinto – is alleged to have kept the cartel informed about the movement of other boats on shipment days. In total, 13 people are involved in the drug ring, many of which are now standing trial for a string of offences including money laundering and possession of firearms.

Woman set up Costa del Sol hit on mobster Gerard 'Hatchet' Kavanagh

Associates of murdered Gerard ‘Hatchet’ Kavanagh were last night hunting the wife of a man accused of ordering the hit. Kavanagh was in Harmon’s Irish bar on the Costa del Sol for just one minute on Saturday when two masked hitmen “dressed like ninjas” burst in and pumped nine bullets into his back and head. The 44-year-old, whose son is a top-ranked professional boxer, was an enforcer for ‘Dapper Don’ Christy Kinahan and close associates have already vowed revenge for the ruthless hit. The Irish Mirror has learned that Kavanagh’s close pal searched a number of Dublin bars over the weekend for the wife of a man suspected of ordering the shooting. This gangster’s moll has been warned repeatedly by gardai that her life is in danger and her home has been attacked.

'Hatchet' Gerard Kavanagh shot dead in Costa del Sol pub

Gerard Kavanagh was shot dead in a bar on the Costa del Sol Notorious gangster Gerard “Hatchet” Kavanagh was gunned down by two masked assassins yesterday as he relaxed in a Spanish pub.

The 44-year-old was riddled with up to nine bullets by the hitmen, who burst into the Costa del Sol bar in Elviria, near Marbella, just before 4pm Irish time on Saturday. A source said: “The shooting had all the hallmarks of a professional hit.” Terrified gangster Kavanagh tried to flee after spotting the assassins coming through the door of Harmons Irish Bar in Elviria, a 20-minute drive east of Marbella. But it was too late for the doomed crime boss, who fell to the ground in a hail of bullets surrounded by a pool of his own blood. A burnt-out BMW X3 was discovered nearby shortly after the shooting, which happened in broad daylight around 4pm Irish time. Spanish police were last night carrying out a forensic search of the vehicle to see if it was used as the getaway car. A source said: “The gunmen were wearing balaclavas and were dressed from head to toe in black. “The shooting had all the hallmarks of a professional hit. It looks like they picked a time when they knew the bar wasn’t going to be busy. “It is believed the victim was trying to flee when he was shot because many of the nine bullets he took hit him in the back.”

Notorious Irish gangster Gerard 'Hatchet' Kavanagh shot dead in Costa del Sol bar  A police spokesman said: “A fatal shooting has occurred near to Marbella. We are investigating.” Witnesses to the shooting told last night how the gunmen shot their victim in the back as he talked with a mystery woman – and finished the job off as he tried to run for his life. One said: “He was sat on a chair in a pair of green swimshorts talking to a woman I’d never seen before. “The men rushed up to him from behind and shot him two or three times in the back and, as he tried to run for the safety of the bar, finished the job off with a shot to the back of the head. “They turned him over to see if he was dead before fleeing. It was absolutely horrific. “The police took the dead man’s black Audi away and undertakers removed his body around 8pm.” Another said: “The killers left the engine on their getaway car running. “I’ve been told it was found burnt out at a supermarket just down the road.” A pal, who asked not to be named, said: “The dead man was lying face down just inside the door of the bar when I saw him. “He was dressed in just a pair of shorts and there was a lot of blood.” Harmons bar is sandwiched between two restaurants in a pretty, tree-lined square just off the N340 dual carriageway running along the Costa del Sol, which was once dubbed the Road of Death because of the number of accidents along it. The bar was closed last night after the horror shooting. A woman who answered a side door said: “Sorry we’ve got nothing to say. We’re not going to speak.” The owner of a neighbouring bar said: “I don’t want to say anything. This is very bad for business.” Kavanagh’s body was taken to the Costa del Sol State Hospital for X-rays last night to determine exactly how many bullets were in his body. Kavanagh, from Ben Bulben Road in Drimnagh, West Dublin, was a senior member of the notorious Kinahan gang, controlled by godfather Christy Kinahan, who is based on the Costa del Sol.

The gang is involved in drug debt collection, drug dealing on an international scale and is suspected of ordering several executions in Crumlin-Drimnagh feud. Kavanagh was jailed for four years in 1996 when he was just 25 for dealing heroin in the Crumlin area. Back then his defence had argued that Kavanagh was only before the court as he had developed a drugs habit forcing him to work as a courier for gangs. The Dublin Circuit Criminal Court was told that he was involved in a chain of drug distribution headed by drug barons. Following his sentence, Kavanagh paired up with Tallaght gangster Paul Rice, who was jailed for 10 years in July 1995 after pleading guilty to the robbery of a bank in which shots were fired. Together they rose to the top of the drug ladder before Kavanagh packed up and moved to Spain where he was reported to be supplying most of Tallaght and a large area of Drimnagh with illegal drugs. He has been living in Benalmadena for almost a decade with his wife and two children where his daughter is a star of the show-jumping circuit and his son is a professional boxer. Security sources say that the shooting has now raised fears for the safety of the Kinahans.

The scene of the shooting is near to the luxury Don Carlos Hotel, which this weekend is hosting the 19th US-Spain forum. The Spanish ambassador to the USA and the American ambassador to Spain were among guests who opened the three-day event and security had been stepped up significantly in the area. Kavanagh was jailed for four years in March 1996 after he was caught with €3,500 worth of heroin and cannabis. In court, Detective Eamonn Maloney said that Kavanagh was “a major figure in drug supplies in the Crumlin, Drimnagh and Dolphin’s Barn areas of Dublin for some time”. He was forced to flee Ireland after he was targeted by anti-drug vigilantes and the Crininal Assets Bureau.Police in Spain are also examining a recent dispute between the Kinahan gang and the Russian mob. The source added: “The Russians claimed they supplied drugs to the Kinahan gang but were never paid. “The Kinahan gang claimed they never got the drugs and were refusing to pay. There has been very bad blood between both sides for some time.” Christy Kinahan’s son Daniel was back in Ireland this weekend to attend a wedding. Kavanagh’s closest pal Rice was also in Dublin. “The killers knew that with Rice away Kavanagh was more exposed.” Hatchet’s murder comes less than a month after Matthew Macklin’s boxing coach Jamie Moore was shot in the legs after leaving a party at Daniel Kinahan’s villa in Puerto Banus, Spain. It is believed that Moore was targeted in a case of mistaken identity. Christy Kinahan is facing a money laundering trial in Spain with his two sons Daniel and Christopher after May 2010 police raids under Operation Shovel.

Irish man shot dead in suspected gangland murder in Spanish bar

Irish man shot dead in Spain was a well-known criminal who closely associated with some of the biggest drug dealers in Ireland and who gardaí believe was the intended target of a botched murder bid last month. The dead man, in his 40s and from Dublin, was singled out in a bar on the Costa del Sol on Saturday afternoon by two masked gunmen who fired at least nine shots, most of which are believed to have hit the victim.

The victim tried to run to safety when he saw the gunmen coming for him but collapsed on the premises when wounded. He was unresponsive when the emergency services later arrived at the scene. He was taken by ambulance to hospital but was pronounced dead shortly after arriving. The murder occurred just before 5.30pm local time at an Irish bar in Elivira, on the outskirts of Marbella. A BMW the gunmen are believed to have been driven to and from the scene in was later found burnt out by Spanish police.

MARBELLA SCARFACE MURDER:A man identified as Amsterdam crime boss Samir B. was murdered in Benahavis, Marbella

A man identified as Amsterdam crime boss Samir B. was murdered in Benahavis, Marbella in Spain on Wednesday. image: inmo-andalucia.com The 36-year-old, also known as “Scarface,” was killed in the Spanish town near Marbella on Wednesday afternoon, Het Parool reports.

 

News reports speak of a gangland execution. Samir B. was in the Monte Halcones mall in the picturesque mountain village around 2.00pm when he was shot multiple times in his back and head by two assailants. He was apparently shot on his way out of a storefront in the shopping center. Witnesses called the authorities, but the emergency services could do nothing to resuscitate him.

The Dutch-Moroccan victim from near Sloterdijk in Amsterdam West has been named in connection with sizeable drug deals. Crimesite.nl writes that he was the largest drug dealer in the city, and he actually marked his cocaine blocks with his own stamp. B. had relocated to Spain a few years back, but apparently his hold on the Amsterdam underground remained. Het Parool writes that B. had a long career in the underworld of Amsterdam West. He grew to be one of the biggest crime bosses in the city.   In June 2010 he was arrested there and extradited to the Netherlands, in connection with the death of 12-year-old Danny Gubbels in Breda; the boy died when someone opened fire on his parent’s trailer and B. was named. He was released after only a few days in prison here, for lack of evidence.   His execution in Benahavis is being investigated by the local police, as well as the Spanish military police force, Guardia Civil, and national police agents. Earlier this month, another of Amsterdam’s criminal leaders, Derkiaoui van der Meijden, was also killed in Amsterdam Oost.

Man shot dead in Benahavis shopping centre

AN Arabic man has been shot dead in a Benahavis shopping centre. At around 2am this morning, the unidentified victim was shot in Monte Halcones shopping centre. Two men are being sought in connection with the death of the man, who is thought to be around 35 years old. The man was reportedly sat with a group of people when he was confronted. He then tried to flee the scene, but was shot multiple times. Guardia Civil and local police officers arrived at the scene following calls from witnesses, but were not able to save his life.

Hell’s Angels, Satudarah MC, No Surrender MC and Bandidos MC in Spain and growing.

Biker gangs such as the famous Hell’s Angels, Satudarah MC, No Surrender MC and Bandidos MC have strong followings in countries including Germany and the Netherlands, but appear to be gaining popularity in Spain, too. Quite apart from the image of bearded, leather-clad men riding along on their motorcycles, these gangs also have a long tradition of criminal activity, including drug dealing and trafficking, extortion, money laundering and violent crimes. There are currently more than 80 criminal investigations under way in these countries, with gang members suspected of having committed a wide range of crimes up to and including murder and attempted murder. According to police reports, the first biker gang to establish itself in Spain was Saturadah MC, with six clubs spread through Catalonia, Madrid, Galicia and Andalucia, where its presence is felt most strongly. The majority of its members are believed to be Dutch nationals.

 

The report, as presented to El Pais, went on to say: “Their introduction has come hand in hand with the establishment of legitimate businesses in sectors such as the hotel and restaurant industry, the automobile sector, and real estate. These businesses are run exclusively by gang members and conceal networks whose purpose is to hide the profits of the illegal activities committed in their countries of origin.”  Conflict and in-fighting within the gang has led to a break-away group being founded under the name ‘No Surrender MC.’ Police investigating the gang believe that it could have up to 160 members in Spain. The Dutch authorities have been asked to assist in tracking down and dealing with the gangs and their members by the Spanish Interior Ministry, who hope to nip this new criminal threat in the bud before it gains too much influence.

Murders his wife with two shots and hangs himself at home in Barro

A man of about 47 years has killed two shots this morning his wife of 38 years, committed suicide by hanging himself in the town of Barro (Pontevedra). It was the alleged aggressor that at 8:30 am this morning phoned to alert the Civil Guard that had killed his wife was shot in the head and the next thing I would do is kill himself, according to sources Armed Forces Institute. A patrol moved immediately to the right place, at the place of Vilaverde, within the parish of Portela, and inside of a home found the body of the woman, who was shot in the head. In an annex warehouse, was the body of man who hanged himself.

Confirmed that this is a case of domestic violence would be the sixth victim in Galicia and the 37th in Spain. The deaths of women by their partners or former partners in 2014 already exceed last year at this time, according to the Ministry of Health, Social Services and Equality. The Government Delegation in Galicia has been reported that there is no evidence that the woman had filed previous complaints.

240 kilos of cocaine have been found in the hull of a yacht in Huelva

240 kilos of cocaine have been found in the hull of a yacht in Huelva Agents from the National Police, in collaboration with the United States DEA, have arrested six people; four in the province of Huelva and two in Madrid in the three searches carried out as part of the same operation. The investigation started at the beginning of April, when large amounts of cocaine has been arriving in Europe by sea, carried out by an international organisation. Further investigations revealed the head of the organisation is a Spaniard, who lives in Colombia, and who had returned to Spain recently, presumably, to coordinate a consignment of the drug. The rest of the organisation are all Colombian, and had the job of providing logistic support on land for the reception and extraction of the drug.

POLICE have uncovered a marihuana plantation in an unlikely location: a private bullring in the Almogía area of Malaga

 

POLICE have uncovered a marihuana plantation in an unlikely location: a private bullring in the Almogía area of Malaga! The ‘plaza de toros’(bullring), is located within the grounds of a country estate in Los Pilones. It had effectively been converted into an enormous greenhouse housing hundreds of marihuana plants, with plastic sheeting covering the arena.

The operation, codenamed ‘verde y oro’ (green and gold), resulted in six arrests, among them an ex-councillor to the PSOE party in the area, Manuel Aranda. Aranda is the brother of Diego, the Izquierda Unida political party member arrested last April after police found 180 marihuana plants in his home. The case was dropped when the judge considered that no crime had been committed. Sources close to the socialist politician have stated that Manuel Aranda is in no way connected to the plantation found at Los Pilones, and that he did not even have access to the estate. In a statement they said: “[Manuel Aranda] was only lending a hand to the tenants by helping to maintain solar panels and a water well on the property due to his friendship with the estate’s owners.”

The police’s suspicions were raised when they noticed the plastic sheeting covering the bullring, and a man patrolling the boundaries of the farm. After months of investigation, Coín’s Judicial Police together with customs officers launched a raid on the estate, and discovered an organised operation that points to the cultivation of the drug for shipment abroad. The raid produced six arrests including Aranda, 500 growing marihuana plants and a large quantity of cut plants. Initial estimates report over 50 kilos of marihuana were seized.

Marbella boxer ring return after trainer shot

MATTHEW MACKLIN, the Marbella based boxer, whose proposed fight against Argentine fighter, Jorge Sebastien Heiland in a WBC eliminator on August 30 was postponed after his trainer, Jamie Moore, was shot in Marbella, is set for a swift ring return. His opponent is as yet unnamed, however, Macklin is expected to undertake his 36th professional bout next month on September 27, on the Felix Sturm - Paul Smith WBA middleweight ‘Super’ title fight undercard in Kiel, Germany. If as expected Macklin wins, the three-time world title challenger expects to be returning to Dublin for the Heiland fight on November 15. Macklin, hopes the Heiland fight will bring him a fourth shot at a world title, as promoter Eddie Hearn looks to guide him to the big title that has eluded him so far.

Irish teenager being held on attempted murder charge in Costa del Sol

An Irish teenager is in custody on an attempted murder charge after a violent street fight on the Costa del Sol. The 17-year-old was part of a group of four Irish holidaymakers who got into a row over a girl during a night out in the upmarket resort of Puerto Banus near Marbella. His brother allegedly punched a friend unconscious before the teenager kicked him in the head as he lay on the ground. The victim was rushed to the nearby Costa del Sol Hospital before being transferred to a specialist centre in Malaga so he could be treated for “life-threatening” head injuries.

Doctors have told police he cheated death because of the rapid medical attention he received. The altercation happened around 3am on August 14 in a street a short walk from Puerto Banus port named after singer Julio Iglesias, who owns a house in mountains a short drive away. Investigators say they believe the four men, who had been out drinking together, rowed over a girl. Local police made the arrests at the scene after witnessing the assault from a distance. The injured man, who like the other three Irish holidaymakers involved has not been named, is now being treated in a normal ward after spending several days in an induced coma in intensive care. Police from a specialist anti-violence unit based in Malaga have led the investigation.

A youth court judge remanded the teenager to a young offenders’ institution after quizzing him in a closed court session. His brother, whose age is not known, has been released on bail but is thought to have had his passport taken away from him so he cannot leave Spain. A trial date has yet to be set. The Irish teenager is expected to be held for custody for several months before he is released ahead of trial. A source close to the case said: “The judge quizzed him on an attempted murder charge because medical experts who examined his alleged victim concluded the consequences of the assault could have been much more serious if he hadn’t received rapid medical attention.”

Irish teenager being held on attempted murder charge in Costa del Sol

An Irish teenager is in custody on an attempted murder charge after a violent street fight on the Costa del Sol. The 17-year-old was part of a group of four Irish holidaymakers who got into a row over a girl during a night out in the upmarket resort of Puerto Banus near Marbella. His brother allegedly punched a friend unconscious before the teenager kicked him in the head as he lay on the ground. The victim was rushed to the nearby Costa del Sol Hospital before being transferred to a specialist centre in Malaga so he could be treated for “life-threatening” head injuries.

Doctors have told police he cheated death because of the rapid medical attention he received. The altercation happened around 3am on August 14 in a street a short walk from Puerto Banus port named after singer Julio Iglesias, who owns a house in mountains a short drive away. Investigators say they believe the four men, who had been out drinking together, rowed over a girl. Local police made the arrests at the scene after witnessing the assault from a distance. The injured man, who like the other three Irish holidaymakers involved has not been named, is now being treated in a normal ward after spending several days in an induced coma in intensive care. Police from a specialist anti-violence unit based in Malaga have led the investigation.

A youth court judge remanded the teenager to a young offenders’ institution after quizzing him in a closed court session. His brother, whose age is not known, has been released on bail but is thought to have had his passport taken away from him so he cannot leave Spain. A trial date has yet to be set. The Irish teenager is expected to be held for custody for several months before he is released ahead of trial. A source close to the case said: “The judge quizzed him on an attempted murder charge because medical experts who examined his alleged victim concluded the consequences of the assault could have been much more serious if he hadn’t received rapid medical attention.”

Climate change is gradually turning Spain into a fire zone

Spain’s changing climate and economy fuels wildfire risks.Climate change is gradually turning Spain into a fire zone – and a change in the economic climate is inflaming the situation.

The combined forces of climate, economic and social change are leaving Spain increasingly exposed to the damaging and costly effects of wildfires.

A research group reports that a mix of factors is behind the rise in both the numbers of forest fires and the areas of land scorched over the last 40 years.

Vanesa Moreno, a researcher in the geography department at the University of Alcalá in Madrid, and colleagues studied the pattern of fires in Spain from 1968 to 2010.

Although Spain, like much of southern Europe, is expected to become more arid with global warming, and although some Mediterranean vegetation is adapted to − and even benefits from − natural fire outbreaks, the picture is not a simple one.

In the moister Atlantic north-west of the country, there are two fire seasons − at the end of winter, and in the summer. In the Mediterranean region, fires are more frequent in the long, hot summer.

 

Fire in Benahavis

A fire has broken out in Benahavis, near Marbella. This photo was taken on the road between Estepona and San Pedro. The cause of the fire is still not yet known, but follows in the wake of a serious fire in Los Montes de Malaga exactly a week ago. The fire in Los Montes devestated 260 hectares of natural park. So far this year there have been 20 such fires in Malaga Province, which experts say is within the average range of annual fires.

Saudi prince's convoy in Paris attacked by gunmen

Heavily armed men have attacked a convoy of cars belonging to a Saudi prince, stealing 250,000 euros (£200,000; $330,000), police say. The convoy was heading through northern Paris on its way to Le Bourget airport late on Sunday evening when it was raided, reports say. The gunmen seized a vehicle carrying the money and documents, later releasing the driver and two others. The convoy was said to have come from the Saudi embassy. No-one was hurt. The gunmen, reportedly armed with Kalashnikov rifles, targeted a Mercedes mini-van at 21:15 (19:15 GMT) on the northern ring road, or peripherique, at Porte de la Chapelle, on the edge of Paris.

The motorcade, belonging to a Saudi prince, was targeted by eight people in two separate vehicles who pointed their guns at the driver of the Mercedes, forcing him to stop, French media reported.

The men then drove the vehicle away with the driver and the two other Saudis inside. No shots were fired but the Saudis were later freed and the vehicle eventually found burned out.

"In the vehicle there was roughly 250,000 euros in cash and official documents from the embassy," police union spokesman Rocco Contento told BFM TV news.

Five youngsters have been detained for abusing a 20 year old girl in the Málaga fairground.

Five youngsters have been detained abusing a 20 year old girl in the Málaga fairground. The girl was found by police on waste ground next the fair attractions in Cortijo de Torres, where she had been working.

There has been a weekend of terror for immigrants in Tangiers

Immigrants who are waiting in Tangiers to cross into Spain have been attacked and their homes ambushed. The NGO’s at the scene fear the aggression against the Sub-Saharans will force them to try to cross the Strait to escape whatever the weather conditions.

The problem started on Friday near the Tangiers airport. The Sub-Saharan’s were told a bus was going to Spain and some 20 women and their children took up the offer. But the bus took them to a local dance festival of African culture called Twiza which was being held in Tangiers for some days. When they realised they had been fooled they returned home, and met a group of Moroccan men armed with machetes and sticks who started to hit them.

Five of the women suffered stab wounds and others suffered abuse. Spanish volunteer, Helena Maleno, was among them and believes the violence is being organised by criminal groups. She was sexually molested by one of the men. She said the Moroccans speech was always the same, ‘We want to clear up here, go to Spain’. Last year an immigrant died when he fell off a wall during a police raid, bringing charges of murderers against the police amid violent scenes as you can seen in the video below.