German news agency DPA and broadcaster Deutsche Welle have published a sensational report regarding the arrest of a Moroccan "spy" handed over by Spanish authorities. The individual has been formally charged with allegations of collaborating with Moroccan intelligence.
The report, distributed in multiple languages and published by several German media outlets, stated that Berlin authorities received a Moroccan citizen from Spain. The individual has been placed in pre-trial detention on suspicion of "espionage" for Moroccan intelligence agencies, a claim confirmed by the public prosecutor's office.
A closer look at the details surrounding the "suspect" accused of spying for Morocco reveals significant gaps in the information provided by the German media. These details, sourced from the Federal Public Prosecutor's Office and relayed by the German Federal Intelligence Service (BND), include the fact that the accused is known for his opposition to Morocco's territorial integrity. He had previously requested to renounce his Moroccan citizenship, claiming that he hails from the Rif region, which he described as being "occupied" by Morocco.
According to details published Thursday by Deutsche Welle and DPA, the suspect, identified as "Youssef EL" (real name Youssef El Asrouti), was apprehended by the Federal Criminal Police Office on suspicion of working as a "spy" for a Moroccan intelligence agency.
On January 16, 2025, the Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office in Karlsruhe announced that the suspect had been arrested on January 15 upon his arrival at Frankfurt am Main Airport. City authorities reported that the accused had been detained in Spain since December 1, 2024, under a European arrest warrant and was extradited to Germany after six weeks of detention.
What raises doubts about the German account is that DPA reported the suspect was spying on supporters of the so-called "Rif Hirak Movement," despite him being a staunch opponent of what he calls "Moroccan colonialism in the Rif." He had even previously addressed a letter to the Moroccan Ministry of Interior, declaring his decision to renounce Moroccan citizenship entirely. In the letter, he justified this by claiming that the relationship between the Moroccan state and the Rif people is "colonial." Moreover, the individual had led protests in several European countries against Moroccan authorities under the banner of the "Rif Hirak Movement."
The German Federal Public Prosecutor's Office stated in its announcement that the suspect collaborated with another man tasked by Moroccan external intelligence. This individual was arrested in November 2022 in the Cologne area and sentenced to one year and nine months of suspended imprisonment. The "partner" was reportedly responsible for transmitting information gathered by the suspect to his superiors. Moroccan intelligence allegedly covered approximately €5,000 worth of this individual’s travel expenses, some of which were reportedly used for personal purposes, according to the indictment.
However, a simple investigation into the accused reveals significant inconsistencies in the German prosecutor's narrative. The suspect, Youssef El Asrouti, is a radical activist advocating for separatist views regarding the Rif region. Since May 2018, he has been residing in the Netherlands after being deported by German authorities. He maintains a hostile and inflammatory stance against Morocco.
El Asrouti is classified by Moroccan authorities as a "separatist" and "extremist" activist. Although his personal documents indicate origins outside the Rif region, he has participated in numerous activities advocating for the establishment of the so-called "Republic of the Rif." Photos of him show deliberate attempts to insult Morocco and its symbols, including the national flag and the monarchy.
Furthermore, El Asrouti was an active member of the "Rif Republican Movement" in Düsseldorf, which is directly linked to separatist Jabir El Ghadioui, known as "Yuba El Ghadioui." The latter openly collaborates with Algerian authorities, who have hosted him and provided funding for his activities. This support enabled him to establish the so-called "Rif National Party" in 2023.
Request to Renounce Citizenship
Research into El Asrouti’s background and political positions reveals that since the first attempt by German authorities to deport him to Morocco, his activities have intensified. He has adopted an extremely hostile stance towards Morocco’s core principles, regularly issuing statements insulting the king and calling for the "secession of the Rif." These actions were part of his strategy to avoid extradition to Rabat and create the impression that his safety was at risk.
In a letter obtained by Assahifa English, El Asrouti addressed the Moroccan Royal Court, the Ministry of Justice, and the Ministry of Interior from the German city of Bonn on June 1, 2018. He declared his "irrevocable decision to renounce Moroccan citizenship and revoke allegiance," claiming that "the only relationship between the Moroccan state and the Rif people is a colonial one." He added that his sole loyalty lies with the country that provides him protection.
This letter came less than three months after his arrest by German authorities in March 2018 for illegal residency. He was detained in a refugee center in preparation for his deportation to Rabat but was released shortly after. This release followed a request submitted by a law firm hired directly by another separatist, Yuba El Ghadioui.
Since then, El Asrouti became an active member of the so-called "Republican Movement," but he faced forced deportation measures again in May 2018. German authorities contacted the Moroccan Consulate in Düsseldorf to issue a travel document under his name based on a request by the Central Aliens Police in Cologne, following the rejection of his asylum application.
During his deportation attempt, El Asrouti resisted violently upon arriving at the airport, forcing police officers to abandon their effort to board him onto the plane forcibly. He later moved to the Netherlands, where he filed a new asylum application, claiming persecution in Morocco due to his political activism and calls for the "independence of the Rif." He was subsequently seen participating in activities organized by separatists there.
By piecing together all these details, it becomes evident that the narrative published by German media outlets, based on information from the Federal Prosecutor's Office and the BND, appears "weak" and inconsistent. Significant effort would be required to turn it into a coherent and credible account to support the espionage allegations against Youssef El Asrouti.
