COURT ORDERS INVESTIGATION INTO MASS INFLUX OF MIGRANTS

MADRID, SEPTEMBER 7 /SRNA/ - Spain's National Court has ordered a criminal investigation into the arrival of thousands of migrants in the enclave of Ceuta in July.

Reports by the Spanish police pointing to the "complete inaction" of Moroccan security forces form the basis of the court's decision to launch the investigation, Euronews reported.

Investigating Judge María Tardón said in the ruling that there are grounds to believe that criminal conduct allegedly committed from outside Spain seriously undermined the country's territorial integrity.

According to Tardón, the influx of migrants is a characteristic method of hybrid warfare or gray-zone warfare, and that clear and unequivocal approval of the process came from the North African country through the documented and visually confirmed conduct of Moroccan security forces.

"Uniformed members of the Moroccan security forces had no serious intention of preventing the influx of migrants, while some even provided instructions on how to cross," Judge Tardón noted.

The decision was made after the judge stated that the National Court has jurisdiction to investigate alleged violations of territorial integrity, negligent homicide and criminal conspiracy, in line with the criteria established by the Office of the Public Prosecutor.

Spanish authorities said there is no conclusive evidence that Rabat was responsible for the mass influx of migrants in July, when more than 70,000 people crossed from Morocco into the Spanish enclave.

Most of the migrants who reached Ceuta were returned to their countries of origin, but several thousand remained, causing additional political tensions in Spain.