Two Moroccan brothers are arrested in Spain accused of funding ISISafter a third brother died fighting alongside the terror group

By Gerard Couzens In Spain and Gareth Davies For Mailonline 09:33 GMT 27 Jul 2016, updated 18:47 GMT 27 Jul 2016

• The pair, aged 33 and 32, were arrested during raids in Arbucies, Girona
• A third sibling is understood to have died in Syria fighting alongside ISIS
• All three suspected of sending money to the terror group using fake IDs
• First investigation in Spain linking residents to financing ISIS's operations  

Police in Spain have arrested two brothers accused of helping to finance ISIS after a third brother died fighting alongside the terror group.

Armed officers detained the Moroccan pair, aged 33 and 32, during dawn raids in the village of Arbucies in the north-east province of Girona near Spain's border with France.

Police say the two siblings, and a third believed to have died in Syria, allegedly sent money to ISIS administrators using fake identities. 

Spanish Civil Guard officers escort a Moroccan suspect (2-R) who was arrested during an operation against Jihadist terror in Arbucies, in the province of Girona, northeastern Spain

Spanish police forces arrested two Moroccan siblings accussed of belonging to the Islamic State finance network after their brother died fighting alongside the militants

Investigators said today it was one of the first operations in which they had managed to identify a direct link between Spanish residents and financing of the terror group. Pictured in Arbucies

Mayor of Arbucies Perre Garriga talking to reporters after two residents were arrested for funding ISIS

Investigators said today it was one of the first operations in which they had managed to identify a direct link between Spanish residents and financing of the terror group.

They are set to face charges of financing terrorism and collaborating with a terrorist organisation.

The brother who died is said to have travelled to Syria from Spain with his wife and two children to fight for ISIS.

The Civil Guard said in a statement, in which they referred to ISIS by its acronym DAESH: 'The Civil Guard has arrested in Girona two people accused of collaborating with a permanent DAESH fundraising operation.

'The network used allegedly fake identities to send cash to administrators of DAESH's economic structure in Syria and Iraq to finance the transfer of operatives to conflict zones.

'It's the first investigation in Spain in which concrete evidence has been established showing the specific purpose of the money sent from Spain to facilitate terror group DAESH's operations.'

A spokesman added: 'The two people arrested are Moroccan brothers aged 33 and 32 resident in the province of Girona.

'Together with a third brother believed to have died in Syria, they sent funds to DAESH's administrators.

'The death of their brother, who had moved to the conflict zone with his wife and two children to join the terror group, didn't lead them to stop their activities.'

The detained pair were taken to Madrid's Audiencia Nacional court (pictured) where they were due to appear in court in a private hearing

The detained pair were taken to Madrid's Audiencia Nacional court where they were due to appear in court in a private hearing.

A judge is expected to remand them in custody pending an ongoing probe. 

Spain has been on high anti-terror alert, level four out of a threat level scale of one to five, since last June.

Level five is 'very high' and would involve the mobilisation of the Armed Forces to guarantee security in the streets and at strategic locations, or even the restriction and control of Spanish airspace.

The Interior Ministry sets the anti-terror alert level after discussions with experts in the fight against anti-terrorism include police and Civil Guard representatives and representatives from the National Centre of Intelligence and the Centre of Intelligence Against Terrorism.

One in three terror suspects arrested in Spain formed part of cells ready and prepared to carry out attacks, investigators revealed earlier this month.

The shocking figure was revealed in a study by international think tank the Real Instituto Elcano.

Investigators Fernando Reinares and Carola Garcia-Calvo made the discovery while profiling 150 alleged jihadis arrested by the Spanish authorities between 2013 and May of this year.

They found 86 per cent of those detained belonged to Islamic State.

They also concluded 94 per cent participated in activities relating to ISIS terrorism with other people - and only six per cent acted as so-called 'lone wolves.'

Spain has been on high anti-terror alert, level four out of a threat level scale of one to five, since last June

Spanish Civil Guard officers carry evidence during a search at the residence of a Moroccan suspect who was arrested during an operation against Jihadist terror in Arbucies

Armed officers detained the Moroccan pair, aged 33 and 32, during dawn raids in the village of Arbucies (pictured) in the north-east province of Girona near Spain's border with France

Police say the two siblings, and a third believed to have died in Syria, allegedly sent money to ISIS administrators using fake identities

ISIS jihadis have consistently vowed to unleash terror on Spain as part of a campaign to recover the country for Islam.

Tom Wilson, an expert on the Middle East at the Henry Jackson society, said earlier this year Spanish destinations including holiday hotspots offered likely targets for terrorists.

He said: 'Islamic extremists, such as those in Islamic State, certainly see any territory that was once conquered by Islam as being up for grabs, so to speak.

'That goes for Spain, which is often viewed by Islamists as representing the highpoint of Islamic conquest into Europe.'

Source http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3710422/Two-Moroccan-brothers-arrested-Spain-accused-funding-ISIS-brother-died-fighting-alongside-terror-group.html