Spain to impose tougher rental controls as part of anti-terror measures

MADRID, Dec. 27 (Xinhua) -- The Spanish government will pass laws requiring vehicle and home rental companies to keep a register of people who hire vehicles or rent houses, with the aim of allowing security forces easier access to information over terrorist suspects.

The measure and others were confirmed by Spanish Interior Minister Juan Ignacio Zoido following a meeting of the parties included in Spain's Anti-Terrorist Pact on Wednesday.

It is the first meeting of the Pact to be held since Aug. 21, days after the terror attacks in Barcelona and Cambrils. Nearly all of the parties represented in the Spanish Congress were represented at the meeting, although Podemos was there in a merely observational role.

During the meeting, Zoido informed of the current state of the investigations into the attacks, adding the government was working on a series of measures which will come into effect in 2018.

The tighter controls on home and car rentals are among those measures, as are plans to make it harder for prospective terrorists to purchase butane gas bottles or similar products.

Zoido also discussed plans for the transmission of data on flight reservations in order to identify possible terrorists.

The minister confirmed that in 2017, 77 jihadist suspects have been arrested in Spain. Enditem