Lorraine Williamson
An explosive investigation is unravelling a dark chapter in Spain’s past, as police examine whether weapons were smuggled through Bilbao to fuel a civil war in West Africa — all in return for so-called blood diamonds.
The case, rooted in Spain’s dealings in the late 1990s, is now back in the spotlight following testimony from a survivor of Sierra Leone’s bloody conflict. He claims the weapons helped arm one of the world’s most notorious rebel groups — the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) — infamous for its use of forced labour in diamond mines and widespread atrocities during the country’s decade-long civil war.
Arms shipments disguised as mining machinery
According to intelligence reviewed by El País, Spanish authorities are focusing on at least three suspected arms shipments, which allegedly left the port of Bilbao hidden among industrial freight labelled as mining equipment or excavators. These containers were bound for Liberia — a country that, at the time, served as a key logistical hub for the RUF.
From 1991 to 2002, Sierra Leone was torn apart by war, with the RUF leaving a trail of destruction in its quest for control over the country’s diamond-rich territories. An estimated 70,000 people lost their lives, while millions more were displaced.
Spanish businessman arrested in Málaga
The investigation gained momentum in 2022 when Spanish judge Alejandro Abascal opened a criminal file following the survivor’s complaint. As part of the inquiry, Judge Francisco de Jorge is now being asked to oversee a separate classified case into possible war crimes and arms trafficking.
At the heart of the operation is businessman Manuel Terrén Parcerisas, arrested in Málaga in 2024. Spanish police suspect he coordinated the laundering of conflict diamonds into Europe and may have played a direct role in organising arms deliveries to Liberia.
He is not the only one under scrutiny. Authorities have identified at least seven other individuals — from Spain, Andorra, and Africa — linked to the suspected smuggling network.
High-value diamonds in return for military-grade weapons
A protected witness claims the arms included anti-tank grenades and vast quantities of ammunition, allegedly exchanged during secret meetings held in Spain and Monrovia. In return, the Spanish network is believed to have received uncut diamonds — later introduced into the European market, particularly Belgium, under false documentation.
This diamond trafficking reportedly continued despite a United Nations embargo on Sierra Leone’s diamond exports, which came into force in mid-2000 to cut funding to armed groups.
Charles Taylor’s alleged awareness
The inquiry takes a darker turn with allegations that Charles Taylor, then-president of Liberia, was aware of the weapons-for-diamonds trade. Taylor, who was later convicted of war crimes in 2012 and sentenced to 50 years in prison, is accused of facilitating rebel operations across the region.
Several witnesses have described direct meetings between RUF leaders and “white Europeans” in Monrovia, believed to be Spanish nationals. These meetings allegedly saw arms handed over in exchange for conflict diamonds. Meanwhile, financial records uncovered by police show over €1.6 million transferred from Spain to Liberia around the year 2000.
Bilbao port under scrutiny
The Spanish National Police have requested detailed records from the Bilbao Port Authority covering shipments to Liberia between 1997 and 2003. Investigators are particularly interested in any cargo listed as heavy equipment — a potential disguise for the illicit arms.
If confirmed, the revelations would link Spanish trade routes to the supply of weapons used in one of Africa’s most violent and destructive wars. It also raises uncomfortable questions about Spain’s role — unwitting or otherwise — in sustaining a regime and rebel force later condemned by the international community.
A reckoning with the past?
This case is more than a historic probe — it’s a reckoning. As Spain confronts the possibility that weapons left its shores to support a war fuelled by slavery and diamonds, questions now loom over political, judicial and business complicity. With multiple investigations still unfolding, Spain could face international pressure to account for its past trade links with regimes and militias involved in crimes against humanity.