Rome keeps identity checks on flights from Spain until 15 August

The Italian government will maintain the suspension of the Schengen Treaty with regard to Spain at least until 15 August. Checks therefore remain in force for third-country nationals arriving from Madrid and other Iberian cities.

The decision rests on an intelligence document. It describes the scenario of a coordinated operation that could lead, within 48 hours, to the entry of 30,000 to 50,000 people at Ceuta, in a window between 10 and 15 August.

Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani confirmed the line. At this stage, he said, the «rischio terrorismo» (risk of terrorism) and «il rischio di immigrazione clandestina non possono essere sottovalutati» (the risk of clandestine immigration cannot be underestimated). The current picture, he added, «non può portare a cambiare la decisione sulla sospensione di Schengen nei confronti di aerei e navi provenienti dalla Spagna» (cannot lead to a change in the decision to suspend Schengen for aircraft and ships coming from Spain). Only when the situation «sarà tornata alla normalità» (has returned to normal), he said, is Italy ready to restore the previous arrangement.

The Italian position has drawn criticism beyond that of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez. Moroccan writer Tahar Ben Jelloun called Italy’s reaction to the Ceuta crisis «isterica» (hysterical). Many European countries, he observed, regularise migrants for labour market needs and then accuse Spain of creating a pull factor. Ben Jelloun also recalled that Ceuta and Melilla do not give free access to the Schengen area: there is therefore «nessuna possibilità di invasione» (no possibility of invasion) and no threat to Europe.

What the dossier says

The report that reached the government in Rome draws largely on the work of Spain’s Centro Nacional de Inteligencia, which since the events of 31 July has been carrying out extensive monitoring of social channels and encrypted messaging networks, from WhatsApp and Telegram to Signal. Spanish analysts are the ones flagging that islamist terror cells or individuals acting alone could also be hiding behind a new wave.

In private chats shared by the monitored Facebook groups one reads: «Colpiamoli il giorno 10 e non l’11. Ci sono manifestazioni per il giorno 9» (Let’s hit them on the 10th and not the 11th. There are demonstrations on the 9th). According to the report, the mobilisation is fuelled by TikTok users sending WhatsApp links to Facebook groups, with phone numbers coming from the United States, Egypt, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and Senegal among others. Intelligence services believe there is a guiding hand, which for now cannot be attributed to any specific actor. The groups are also said to be used by human traffickers. Finally, the dossier flags the risk that the hinterland of Ceuta, on Moroccan territory, becomes a centre of radicalisation and jihadist recruitment.

The figures gathered so far remain small. Since the checks were reinstated, nobody who had transited through Ceuta has arrived in Italy. By contrast, 19 non-EU citizens were found in irregular and suspicious situations at Italian borders. The checks are concentrated at the hubs with direct connections from Spain: Milan Malpensa, Milan Linate and Bologna Marconi.