Spanish police arrested two suspected terrorists with apparent links to an al Qaeda-affiliated group Tuesday but said they had no indication of an imminent attack . The Interior Ministry identified the suspects as Nou Mediouni , 23 , from Algeria , who was arrested in the north-central city of Zaragoza , and Hassan El Jaaouani , 52 , from Morocco , who was detained in the southeastern city of Murcia . Spanish police worked with their counterparts in France and Morocco to carry out the latest arrests , an Interior Ministry statement said . The two suspects have a `` profile '' that is similar to the two suspects in the Boston Marathon attacks , the statement said . Interior Minister Jorge Fernandez Diaz told reporters that police consider them `` lone wolves , '' like the Boston suspects . However , the similarity is based only on how the two suspects in Spain were `` radicalized , '' by going to online forums and chat rooms , and also in the suspects ' alleged interest in pulling from the Internet information on bomb-making , said an Interior Ministry spokesman , who by custom is not identified . The pair , who are from different countries , are not brothers and , unlike the two suspects in the Boston Marathon attacks , have no roots in the Caucasus region , he said . But Fernandez said one of the suspects recently praised the Boston attacks . A second Interior Ministry spokesman said that was the younger suspect , Mediouni . Both of the suspects in Spain are unemployed , the second Interior Ministry spokesman said . Mediouni , arrested in Zaragoza , studied computer sciences but had not worked professionally in that field , the ministry statement said . The two are suspected members of a radical cell close to the terrorist organization al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb , the Interior Ministry said . The two men have been under surveillance as part of an operation lasting more than a year run in cooperation with France and Morocco , the Spanish Interior Ministry said . The Madrid train bombings in March 2004 , which killed 191 people and wounded more than 1,800 , led to a sharp increase in Spain 's fight against Islamic terrorism . The courts convicted 14 Islamic militants for their role in the bombings , along with four Spaniards convicted for trafficking in explosives used in the attacks . Since then , authorities have told CNN that Spain has assigned hundreds of additional police officers to investigate Islamic terrorism and added dozens of Arabic translators , so authorities will be able to understand communications and threats . Around 400 suspected Islamic militants have been arrested in Spain since March 2004 , although many have been released by judges for lack of evidence . Mali extremist contacts alleged . Mediouni was identified and recruited by Mali-based members of al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb through his interest in radical Islamist Internet sites , the Interior Ministry statement alleges . He was given specific instructions for a trip to a jihadist camp in northern Mali led by the group , the Interior Ministry claims , but was unable to meet with AQIM leaders because of the heightened security presence in the area . Since January , France and nearby African nations have been supporting Malian forces in their efforts to push back Islamist extremists who carved out a large haven in northern Mali last year . El Jaaouani is also alleged to have established contact with AQIM leaders in Mali and to be responsible for recruiting radicals in Spain . One of the people he contacted was directly involved with the kidnapping and murder of two French citizens in Niger in January 2011 , the Spanish Interior Ministry said . The two suspects ' homes were being searched by police , the statement added . They are due to be arraigned Thursday at the National Court in Madrid , which handles terrorism cases , a court spokeswoman said . The arrests in Spain come days before the Madrid Marathon on Sunday . About 26,000 runners are expected to take part in a marathon , half-marathon and 10-kilometer race , to be run at the same time . Security has been increased in light of the attacks in Boston , authorities said . READ MORE : Men accused of planning al Qaeda-supported attack in Canada . READ MORE : Should we still fear al Qaeda ? READ MORE : Is this al Qaeda 's 'last chance ' for a country ?
14 of the suspects praised the Spain bombing , Boston 's interior minister says . Minister : Police consider the suspects to be `` lone wolves , '' like those in Boston . They are suspected members of a radical cell with ties to Interior Ministry in the Islamic Maghreb . They have been in touch with Islamist extremists in Mali , al Qaeda says .