Agencia Jihadist Arrested in Santa Coloma for Recruiting Fighters for ISIS
The Police Maintain Maximum Anti-Terrorism Alert in Catalonia
New Police Operation Against Jihadism in Catalonia. The National Police arrested a 36-year-old Moroccan man on Monday in Santa Coloma de Gramenet, accused of recruiting fighters for the Islamic State (ISIS). The detainee, who was in an advanced process of radicalization, aimed to ascend in the hierarchy of the terrorist organization.
This new arrest highlights the latent Islamist threat in Catalonia. Jihadist activity has increased over the last year and a half, and good police work has managed to thwart several attacks. Spain has been at level four reinforced anti-terrorist alert since December 2023.
Catalonia is a hot spot for Islamism in Spain due to the concentration of Islamic immigration and the proliferation of Salafism, a radical branch of Islam. One in three jihadist operations in Spain takes place in Barcelona.
Selling Counterfeit Products
The police managed to intercept this suspect, who compulsively consumed violent content on ISIS-affiliated channels. His goal was to train in propaganda and recruitment of fighters for the global jihad.
After tracking his movements for several months, the National Court authorized the raid on his home last Monday in Santa Coloma de Gramenet. The agents conducted two other searches in Barcelona. Among other items, they seized counterfeit products that he might have been selling to finance his illegal activities.
After his arrest, he was placed in police custody, and the judge ordered his preventive detention. He is accused of wanting to mediate in sending jihadist fighters to conflict zones. The case is now in the hands of the National Court.
The police are keeping the investigation open, and further arrests are not ruled out. This arrest comes shortly after the dismantling of a Pakistani network in Barcelona that planned to behead infidels. Recently, the expulsion of two imams from La Jonquera and Figueres for radicalization, and another jihadist in Mataró, was also ordered.
Alarm in Catalonia
The jihadist threat in Catalonia has grown following the call for global jihad due to the war in Gaza. The succession of anti-terrorist operations is causing alarm among the population. Several comments on X warn that "things are getting ugly," highlighting that these are not just simple perceptions.
Some parties and public and subsidized media insist on downplaying the jihadist threat. They do so under the pretext of not sowing Islamophobia and hate speech. But the reality is that there is a serious public security problem in Catalonia.
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