The CNI warned Morocco and the Spanish government on July 29 of mass calls to enter Ceuta

MadridThere were warnings: at least the CNI did alert both Morocco and the Spanish government about massive calls on social media to enter Ceuta. This is what can be inferred from the reports and communications that the Council of Ministers agreed to declassify this Tuesday and which it published through the Moncloa website this Wednesday starting at 5 p.m. There is a total of 40 documents dating from July 1 to August 1, among which is an informative note from the CNI on July 29 in which it warned of Facebook and WhatsApp groups calling to cross the border, by sea or by land, on July 30, the day of the Moroccan Throne, taking advantage of the fact that the border security forces were being moved to other locations. Highlighting, furthermore, that these were groups on social media with a great capacity for dissemination.

Consult all the documents hereAccording to the Moncloa website, the CNI sent an informative note to the Moroccan intelligence services the day before the massive crossing of people at the border in Ceuta, in which they warned them of a "possible entry" of migrants into the Spanish autonomous city. According to this document, titled "Irregular immigration. Early warning. Possible entries into Ceuta during the week of the Throne Festival", the CNI alerted that there were "especially active" profiles on social media talking about a window of opportunity to enter Spain: they refer to a WhatsApp group with the name "Assault on the Ceuta fence" that was preparing an attempt to enter on July 30. The CNI specifies that the administrator of this group has two phones, one Spanish and another Algerian, in addition to a Facebook group with 60,000 followers and another with about 22,000 members with the name Hraga Ceuta.

The intelligence services highlight some publications they made, such as for example: "Whoever wants to cross has one last opportunity at the throne festival at 8. The authorities are distracted with celebrations and parades". Or also: "Castillejos-Ceuta. The whole week is good for those who want to pass, this is the opportunity. May God facilitate it".

The same day, the National Centre for Immigration and Borders (CENIF), warned of a "potential risk" of irregular immigrant entries, as a consequence derived from the Supreme Court ruling of July 8 that rejected summary expulsions if entering by swimming. Thus, they raise the "need" to foresee three scenarios, defining as "high" the probability of an entry of people swimming; "medium" an entry of people by sea and jumping the fence; and "medium-low" a coordinated action. Mind you, it warned that if this last scenario were to occur, the risk would be "extreme". "It cannot be guaranteed that [the entry of migrants] will occur, but when this type of activity has been detected on social media, it has sometimes materialised", the report says.

WhatsApp conversations

On the website published by Moncloa, conversations between agencies and ministries are also reflected. In this sense, a conversation on July 29th itself stands out between the executive's delegation in Ceuta and the CNI; and another between the CNI and the Civil Guard in which they inform them of the call for entry into Ceuta, especially highlighting the "scope of the dissemination" they could have. We reproduce the dialogue below:

CNI: On social media, there is a call for an assault through the fence and the sea tomorrow at 8 p.m.

CNI: Taking advantage of the Feast of the Throne and that their security forces will be busy.

CNI: There are two different groups with a total of 180,000 people.

CNI: To give you an idea of the scope of the dissemination.

Delegation: Received [and subsequently it is reflected that there is an 11-minute call]

One can also read another WhatsApp conversation from the CNI with the UCE-3 of the Civil Guard in which the intelligence services warn of the same thing: "We have information of an attempt at entries by swimming and jumping the fence for tomorrow [July 30th], the day of the Feast of the Throne". The Civil Guard responds with the contacts they have on the ground on those dates, since the interlocutor from the armed institution speaking with the CNI admits that he has had to leave. Subsequently, a seven-minute call is reflected.

The Spanish government's decision to publish all these declassified reports on Ceuta comes after the clash of versions within the executive regarding what was known and what was not before the massive entry of migrants on July 30th, basically between Margarita Robles (Defense), who says that there were indeed warnings, and the rest of the ministries. This Wednesday, Pedro Sánchez in an interview on Mañaneros on TVE reaffirmed himself: "Without detracting from the professionalism of the intelligence services, a massive arrival of so many migrants was not foreseen at all". However, once all the reports were published, it is confirmed that there were warnings of calls on social media with a great capacity for dissemination.

What does Moncloa say? After publishing the documents, they have reaffirmed that the CNI communications of July 29th "never alerted of a massive entry": "An agency that believes a massive entry will occur the next day does not limit itself to sending an ambiguous WhatsApp to a minor official: it raises it," these sources say. Later, CNI sources clarified that, although they warned of the massive social media call, they did not anticipate the "magnitude" of what happened on the 30th.

The PP has not interpreted it the same way. The spokesperson, Ester Muñoz, urgently summoned the media to Congress to state that the reports reveal a "State lie" on the part of Sánchez and a "willful dereliction of duty": "He is responsible for the invasion". But the darts at the Spanish government have also come from its partners: for Sumar, more diligence was needed to prevent the massive influx of migrants, and for Gabriel Rufián (ERC), the declassification shows that the "CNI is acting against the government".

The role of Morocco

On July 30, the situation was already one of overflow, as evidenced by various declassified documents from both the army and the Civil Guard. In fact, on the morning of July 30, it was mentioned as “highly probable” that an attempt at “massive irregular migration entry, taking advantage of the Throne Day festivities in Morocco” would occur, as reported by the Army to the Armed Forces Intelligence Center (CIFAS). The situation was one of “migratory chaos” and “saturation” of the army. The Civil Guard expressed itself in the same direction.

Regarding the role of the Moroccan authorities, the army highlighted on the 30th that it “was probable” they were not actively favoring the wave of entry; but it did point to a “negligent and passive” performance. They said it was likely that they would increase their presence at the border starting on the 1st, when the Throne Day celebration ended, since until then they had moved part of the army and police from the border to other points. That is why what the CNI said that same day is relevant: it describes that no “proactive reaction from the Moroccan authorities to the loss of control of the situation” had been detected, but adds that Morocco's participation to restore control of the Ceuta border is “essential”. Thus, they add that the Alawite regime will accept returns of the migrants who have accessed irregularly through the border to try to “put an end to the crisis”. A cooperative face of Morocco that Moncloa has strived to emphasize since the first day.