DR ‹ › A Spanish security official has praised the «meticulous performance» and close cooperation of Moroccan police in the investigations into the August 17, 2017 attacks in Barcelona, which killed 16 people and injured dozens. Speaking before a parliamentary committee in Spain's Congress, the official said Rabat imposed no restrictions on Spanish investigators and fully respected the chain of custody for evidence. According to Europa Press, the official, who heads a division within the Barcelona Information Brigade, traveled to Morocco from December 10 to 14, 2017, as part of an international judicial delegation. The visit aimed to assist Moroccan authorities in collecting DNA samples from relatives of Abdelbaki Es Satty, the Ripoll imam identified as the mastermind behind the attacks, and to help identify a residence he was suspected of visiting prior to the assault. He explained that Spanish officers acted solely as observers, while Moroccan authorities carried out all procedures in line with internationally recognized standards. The DNA samples were sent to a forensic laboratory in Casablanca, and the results were later forwarded to the Court of Appeal in Rabat to be incorporated into the investigation. The official also described counter-terrorism cooperation between Morocco and Spain as «very good», noting that joint efforts helped advance the investigation and shed light on the circumstances surrounding the 2017 attacks.
