Two Spanish nationals detained for alleged ties to Hezbolá have been released with restrictions. Their arrest was rushed after a judicial document was mistakenly published online. The case has sparked debate over police procedures and data security.
Two men arrested in the Basque Country for suspected collaboration with Hezbolá have been released on provisional liberty, following a judicial misstep that exposed sensitive details of the investigation. The decision, made by National Court judge José Luis Calama, comes after the premature detention of the suspects, both Spanish nationals, in Getxo and Bilbao earlier this week.
The arrests were triggered when a judicial document, containing specifics of the ongoing probe, was mistakenly published on the website of the General Council of the Judiciary (CGPJ). Although the document did not name the suspects, it included enough information—such as the name of a Telegram chat and the towns of residence—to allow their identification. This leak prompted police to accelerate their operation, fearing the suspects might destroy evidence.
Authorities have imposed strict conditions on the two men: their passports have been confiscated, they are barred from leaving Spain, and must report to court every 15 days. Both are known activists, involved with Iranekin Bat, a Basque committee supporting Iran, and Samidoun, a group advocating for Palestinian prisoners. Their detention sparked protests outside one of their homes and drew criticism from political figures, including Podemos leader Ione Belarra, who publicly demanded their release.
Police suspect the men of acting as collaborators for Hezbolá, which the European Union has classified as a terrorist organization since 2013. Investigators allege the suspects maintained contact with Hezbolá leaders, sent funds, and distributed propaganda via a Telegram channel with over 9,000 followers. The channel reportedly shared pro-terrorist content related to Hezbolá and Palestinian armed groups such as the Al Aqsa Brigades and Abu Ali Mustafa Brigades. The investigation began a year ago after police identified the Telegram group and linked it to the two men, who had traveled to Lebanon multiple times and allegedly attended a funeral for Hezbolá leader Hasan Nasralá in February 2025.
Further scrutiny intensified three months ago when international police services reported that one of the suspects had been in contact with a person detained for a non-lethal attack on the US embassy in Oslo. Spanish investigators, supported by the prosecutor’s office, requested search warrants for the suspects’ homes, but Judge Calama initially denied the request, citing a lack of objective evidence. However, the decision was overturned by the National Court’s Criminal Chamber, which authorized the searches, citing a substantial body of evidence suggesting possible terrorist organization membership or financing.
The operation was originally scheduled for later in June, but the leak of the judicial resolution by the Cendoj (the official documentation center of the CGPJ) forced police to act immediately. The document, still available online days later, has raised concerns among law enforcement that the suspects may have had time to erase incriminating material. Indeed, the Telegram channel in question was wiped of its previous content, leaving only a statement rejecting terrorism and violence, and claiming all prior posts were for geopolitical observation.
During the searches, police seized a significant amount of material and electronic devices, which are now under analysis. The case has highlighted vulnerabilities in the handling of confidential judicial information and the challenges authorities face in balancing investigative secrecy with procedural transparency.
Hezbolá’s military wing has been designated a terrorist organization by the EU since 2013. Spain’s legal framework requires concrete evidence of criminal activity for terrorism charges, not just ideological sympathy. The incident has reignited debate over data security in judicial processes and the risks of premature disclosure in sensitive investigations.
