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

MadridThere were warnings indeed: at the very least, the CNI did alert both Morocco and the Spanish government about mass 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 are a total of 40 documents dating from July 1 to August 1, including 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 Throne of Morocco, taking advantage of the fact that border security forces were moving 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. In accordance with this document, titled "Irregular immigration. Early warning. Possible entries into Ceuta during the week of the throne festival", the CNI warned that there were "especially active" profiles on social networks talking about a window of opportunity to enter Spain: they referred to a WhatsApp group with the name "Assault on the Ceuta fence" that was preparing an entry attempt on July 30. The CNI specified 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 highlighted some posts that were being made, such as: "Whoever wants to cross has one last chance during 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 Center 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 hot returns if one entered by swimming. Thus, they raise the "need" to foresee three scenarios, defining as "high" the probability of an entry of people swimming; as "medium" an entry of people by sea and jumping the fence; and as "medium-low" a coordinated action. Mind you, it warned that if this last scenario occurred, the risk would be "extreme". "It cannot be assured that [the entry of migrants] will occur, but when this type of activity has been detected on social networks, it has sometimes ended up materializing," the report says.

WhatsApp conversations

The website published by Moncloa also reflects conversations between organizations and ministries. In this sense, a conversation stands out on July 29th 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 networks there is a call for an assault on the fence and the sea tomorrow at 8 pm.

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: Understood [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 to enter by swimming and jumping the fence for tomorrow [July 30th], the day of the Feast of the Throne". The Civil Guard responded with the contacts that were on the ground at that time, since the interlocutor from the armed institute who spoke with the CNI admitted that he had to leave. Following this, an 7-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 there were indeed warnings, and the rest of the ministries. This Wednesday, Pedro Sánchez in an interview on Mañaneros on TVE reaffirmed: "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 are published, it is confirmed that there were warnings of calls on social media with a large capacity for dissemination.

What does Moncloa say? After publishing the documents, they insist that the CNI communications of July 29th "never alerted of a massive entry": "An organization that believes that a massive entry will occur the next day does not limit itself to sending an ambiguous WhatsApp to a minor official: it elevates it," point out sources from the state executive. Later, CNI sources clarified that, although they warned of the massive call on social media, 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 convey 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 barbs at the Spanish government have also come from the partners: for Sumar, more diligence was needed to prevent the massive entry of migrants and, for Gabriel Rufián (ERC), the declassification proves that the "CNI goes against the government".

The role of Morocco

On July 30th, 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 30th, there was talk of a “very probable” attempt at a “massive entry of immigrants, taking advantage of the Throne Day festivities in Morocco,” 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 spoke in the same vein.

Regarding the role of the Moroccan authorities, the army highlighted on the 30th that it was “likely” they were not actively favoring the wave of entry; but it did point to “negligent and passive” action. They said it was likely they would increase their presence at the border starting on the 1st, when the Throne festival ended, since until then they had deployed 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 migrants who have entered irregularly through the border to try to “put an end to the crisis.” A cooperative face of Morocco that the Moncloa has strived to emphasize from the very first day.