13 people were arrested this morning in coordinated early-morning raids in Barcelona and Valencia and police are now investigating whether they have links with the Al-Qaeda terrorist organisation.

According to a police statement, 11 were arrested in Barcelona and only two in Valencia, not five as had initially been reported.

Eleven of those arrested in 'Operation Fish' coordinated by High Court Judge, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, are of Pakistani origin, one is from Nigeria and the other is Indian.  All are accused of being involved in an international crime ring, forging passports and trafficking drugs and humans, with connections in France, Belgium, Switzerland, the UK, Germany and Thailand.

Investigators suspect all 13 of stealing passports in Spanish cities then sending them to Thailand, where they were manipulated before being supplied to cirminal organisations in the aforementioned countries.

Amongst the objects found by the police this morning were numerous passports, some blank and others forged, passport size photos, equipment and materials for carrying out forgeries, computer equipment, mobile 'phones and numerous documents.