Fact

According to El Confidencial, Mehdi Hijaouy was number two of Moroccan foreign intelligence and Rabat requested his extradition

Permanent link https://ceutafacts.org/en/fichas/hijaouy-20250202/

According to El Confidencial, Mehdi Hijaouy held for several years the post of “number two” of Morocco’s foreign intelligence service and for a time even acted as its top official. The same outlet says that, as soon as he arrived in Madrid, Rabat requested his extradition from the Spanish courts on three charges recorded in file 61/2024 — membership of a criminal organisation, fraud and encouraging “illegal emigration” — that in his only appearance he denied those accusations, and that after he stopped appearing the judge ordered his search, arrest and imprisonment. On 2 February 2025, El Confidencial described him as wanted.

• According to El Confidencial, Mehdi Hijaouy held for several years the post of “number two” of Morocco’s foreign intelligence service (DGED) and for a time even acted as its top official.
• According to El Confidencial, as soon as he arrived in Madrid, Rabat requested his extradition from the Spanish courts; the outlet says file 61/2024 cites three charges: membership of a criminal organisation, fraud and encouraging “illegal emigration”.
• According to El Confidencial, in his only appearance before the Audiencia Nacional judge, in September, Hijaouy denied the accusations in the file sent by the Moroccan justice system.
• According to El Confidencial, he later stopped appearing and the judge ordered his search, arrest and imprisonment. On 2 February 2025 the outlet described him as wanted.