Spanish police arrested 16 suspected Islamist militants yesterday, including followers of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi and men preparing to become suicide bombers in Iraq, the Interior Ministry said.
It was the second European swoop in two days against suspected backers of the Iraqi insurgency, following Germany's arrest of three Iraqis on Tuesday.
Eleven of the suspects in Spain were followers of Zarqawi, al Qaeda's leader in Iraq, the Interior Ministry said.