A former Moroccan gendarme who swam across the border into Ceuta has formally identified Moroccan officials actively directing security forces during the July border surge, elmundo.es reported.
Urgent Court Summons for Swimming Migrants
The National Police took statements from three Moroccan nationals who entered the Spanish enclave by swimming during the peak of the migratory influx. María Tardón of the Audiencia National summoned the three individuals on an urgent basis for court appearances scheduled for Wednesday morning.
The Case of Hicham el Bouazzaouy
Among those interrogated by the National Center for Immigration and Borders (Cenif) is Hicham el Bouazzaouy, a former Moroccan gendarme. After an unsuccessful swimming attempt on July 26, he successfully crossed four days later amid a large-scale wave of arrivals on July 30.
Photographic Evidence from the Border Zone
During investigative sessions on October 21, researchers presented el Bouazzaouy with photographs identifying individuals labeled in Cenif reports as “dinamizadores” of the border movement on the Moroccan side. Examining the images, the former gendarme noted the prominent presence of auxiliary forces from Rabat, national police officers, and members of the royal gendarmerie.
Identifying the Bacha of Castillejos
El Bouazzaouy explicitly recognized Youssef Haji, known as “the Bacha of Castillejos/Fnideq” and the second-in-command to the Wali, whom he described as a delegate of Morocco’s Interior Ministry. Police investigators corroborated the rank, explaining that the Bacha holds a local administrative role comparable to a sub-delegate of the government within a specific municipality.
Direct Orders Witnessed Near the Senator Hotel
According to the witness statement, el Bouazzaouy spotted the official at approximately 10:00 or 10:30 a.m. near a roundabout beneath the Hotel Senator close to the border, surrounded by 20 to 30 other agents. The witness stated that the Bacha was actively issuing orders at that moment.
Naming the Wali al-Amn of Tétouan
During the same interrogation, Cenif inspectors presented a second photograph from the border zone. The witness identified the individual as the Wali al-Amn of Tétouan, a type of Wali more directed to Security, holding an authority equivalent to the Jefe Superior de Policía de Tetuán.
