Madrid, Feb 24 (IANS/EFE): Spanish Civil Guard officers arrested four people Tuesday after dismantling a recruiting network for the Islamic State (IS) jihadi group active in Iraq and Syria.

Two people were arrested in the northeastern cities of Barcelona and Gerona, while the other two were detained in Melilla, a Spanish enclave on the coast of North Africa, the interior ministry announced.

The Civil Guard is investigating possible connections between those arrested in Melilla and the other two.

One of the detainees administered an online virtual community which published IS promotional materials.

The website had more than 1,000 followers and significant impact on many members of Spain's Muslim immigrant community, authorities said.

The network also had many supporters outside Spain on its Facebook account, particularly in Latin America, along with Belgium, France, Pakistan, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, the US, Turkey and Tunisia.