Judicial Actions Following the Military Incident
In a decisive legal ruling, eleven of the twelve individuals arrested for ambushing a military patrol in Benzú are set to be expelled to Morocco. The judicial authority of Ceuta has sentenced these individuals to two years in prison for the crime of assaulting law enforcement officers. However, for eleven of them, their prison sentences have been replaced with a five-year expulsion from Spanish territory. Judicial sources have confirmed to El Faro de Ceuta that the expulsion orders are already in effect.
All eleven Moroccan nationals have admitted their involvement in the ambush, confessing to indiscriminately throwing stones at the Regulars, who were targeted while attempting to enter Benzú. The attackers had reportedly prepared for this ambush in advance, waiting for the military vehicle to pass before launching their assault. Ultimately, their target was the vehicle carrying the Regulars.
One of the twelve detainees, however, has denied the charges against him and rejected the plea agreement made between the prosecution and the defense. Consequently, he has been placed in preventive custody as he awaits trial, which will proceed through the criminal courts. During questioning, this individual insisted he was asleep at the time of his arrest and did not participate in the assault.
Calls for Investigation into Military Protocols
This judicial decision coincides with a request from the Hazte Oír association to the Ministry of Defense, urging an investigation into the chain of command and the circumstances surrounding the ambush on the Regulars' patrol. The organization has filed an administrative complaint suggesting a potential lack of operational protection for the four soldiers involved in the attack.
Hazte Oír is demanding the initiation of preliminary proceedings to ascertain what risk assessments were conducted, what orders were given to the military personnel, what protective measures were available to them, and how warnings preceding the incident were managed. Furthermore, they insist on the immediate preservation of evidence related to the attack and an urgent review of protocols and resources available to patrols deployed in particularly conflict-prone areas.
The ambush occurred around 5:30 AM on August 27, when the military personnel were traveling in an unarmored vehicle en route to their checkpoint. According to reports from the Ceuta media, the incident unfolded shortly after the soldiers crossed the Benzú traffic light. At that moment, a group of 30 to 40 immigrants emerged from various locations in the area and descended upon the vehicle carrying the four members of the Ceuta General Command (Comgeceu).
In mere seconds, the situation escalated dramatically. The assailants began hurling large stones at the vehicle. Faced with the intensity of the attack, the four military personnel were forced to abandon their vehicle and flee on foot towards Calamocarro for their safety. During their escape, they were pursued by the group, who continued to throw stones, hitting them multiple times with impacts and blows. It was precisely when the soldiers exited the vehicle that they faced the brunt of the violent attack, until they managed to reach safety.
As reported by libertaddigital.com.
