Spain declassifies intelligence files revealing prior alerts before mass Ceuta border crossing

Declassified warnings ahead of the mass crossing

On Wednesday, the Spanish government released 36 declassified intelligence files, memos, and messaging logs detailing advance warnings received before the mass border crossing into Ceuta on 30 July 2026. The files show that the National Intelligence Centre (CNI) tracked social media groups with over 180,000 members coordinating plans to enter the autonomous city by sea and through the border fence during Morocco's Throne Day. An operative in Ceuta began sending WhatsApp messages to the cabinet of the local Government Delegation on 27 July. On 29 July at 18:26, the CNI transmitted a formal alert to Morocco's external intelligence agency (DGED) and domestic security agency (DGST). That same day, the CNI held an eleven-minute telephone call with the Government Delegation and a seven-minute call with the Guardia Civil. The documentation contradicts statements from local delegation officials who had denied receiving prior warnings from central authorities.

Security force pushback against judicial limits

The declassified records document substantial opposition from security services to a 29 June 2026 Supreme Court ruling that prohibited summary pushbacks for migrants entering Spanish territory by sea. In a memo drafted on 8 July, the day the ruling was formally notified, the Guardia Civil warned that barring maritime rejections would produce a pull effect toward swimming entries, which are difficult to detect early. A CNI assessment titled "Crisis migratoria de Ceuta y sus repercusiones", compiled on 30 July, argued that previous maritime pushbacks had contained border pressure and prevented drownings. The intelligence agency noted that the sudden entry of more than 20,000 people that day caused a complete collapse of police operations. Reports from the National Immigration and Borders Centre (CENIF) submitted to the National Court also pointed to a lack of containment by Moroccan border personnel.

Moroccan inaction and political friction in Madrid

Spanish military intelligence and CNI assessments noted that Moroccan authorities adopted a passive and negligent posture during the border breaches. In an assessment issued on 30 July at 21:20, the CNI reported that Moroccan riot police only deployed to the Bab Sebta border crossing three hours after the coastal breakwater had been overwhelmed. The agency contrasted this delayed reaction with the effective crowd control operations executed by Moroccan security forces during a similar incident on 15 September 2024. The publication of the intelligence files has heightened political pressure on Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, who had maintained that the scale of the influx could not be anticipated and had refrained from directly blaming Rabat. Hours before the release, Sánchez had stated that intelligence communications required greater sophistication, while officials aligned with Defence Minister Margarita Robles pointed to the files as validation of earlier warnings.

European Union mission and regional pressure

Ceuta President Juan Jesús Vivas traveled to Brussels to request European Union intervention and structural support to reinforce the border perimeter. During his visit, Vivas stated that Moroccan authorities had demonstrated operational leverage over the border crossing.

This is the situation and we come to the European institutions because Europe means a lot to Ceuta; it is one of our main strengths, and we come to find backing from the EU in the face of this event that has disrupted life in the city of Ceuta.

In response to the appeal, the European Commission announced that a technical delegation will travel to Ceuta at the end of the week to assess operational needs on the ground. European Commission spokesperson Marcus Lammert reiterated the bloc's engagement with Spanish officials regarding external border management.

We are following the situation very closely and remain fully committed at all levels to guaranteeing the security of the Union borders. The Commission maintains close contact with the Spanish authorities at all levels.