The Minister of Interior, Juan José Rosón, instructed Málaga police chief Miguel Catalán to keep the arrests secret. The Spanish government decided to expel the four men without penalty or prosecution to avoid publicity. The police were ordered to take the arrested men to Málaga. Nicoletti said that once the policemen realized they were not common criminals, their attitude changed and became more favourable. The police let Nicoletti handle the explosives, as he had training while the police had not. Then Nicoletti invited them to lunch, so the police convoy, still carrying the explosives, stopped at a roadside restaurant. Then they went to pick up some clothes at a dry cleaners and finally headed for the Málaga police headquarters.