The former Spanish Security secretary, Francisco Martínez, has explained that the information received from foreign intelligence services is not always "specific enough" to "give cause for" investigation and said that the alleged May warning from the CIA, published by Spanish newspaper El Periódico, about a possible attack in Catalonia this summer was "too generic".
"Regrettably, the details from friendly services are not always precise enough. The information was too generic", said Martínez, who specified that when this "does not give cause for investigation", they adopt measures like "a greater police presence".
What's more, the supposed note says that its information is "unsubstantiated [and] of unknown veracity".
With regards to the possible direct relationship between the CIA and the Mossos d'Esquadra (Catalan police), something denied yesterday by the head of the Mossos, Josep Lluís Trapero, the politician said that on occasion, "for closeness or to gain time, these relationships do take place", but that the standard procedure is that intelligence services deal with other intelligence services, in this case, with the Spanish CNI (National Intelligence Centre).
"There is no problem if jurisdictions and coordination channels are respected," he said about this supposed communication between the CIA and the Mossos.
He also explained that, with the current terrorism warning level at 4 out of 5, a weekly meeting takes place of CITCO (Intelligence Centre for Counter-Terrorism and Organised Crime), attended by all the state's security forces and bodies, including the Mossos and Ertzaina, the Basque police, to which they "have to bring relevant information".
Martínez was the right-hand man and head of the cabinet of former Spanish Interior minister Jorge Fernández Díaz. He held the position of secretary of Security for Spain for 4 years. The general management of the National Police, the Civil Guard and CITCO all depend on the office.