The Police arrest two alleged jihadists in Guipúzcoa and Asturias: one of them wanted to become a ‘martyr’

Agents of the National Police Two men have been arrested for distributing through social networks messages and postulates of DAESH. In the town of Itsasondo (Guipúzcoa) investigators have arrested a person for his alleged participation in the crimes of terrorist indoctrination and self-training. The agents have confirmed how this subject created and disseminated numerous publications of a pro-Daesh nature, finding himself immersed in an advanced process of jihadist radicalization. The other subject was arrested in the town of Avilés (Asturias) for his alleged participation in the crimes of self-indoctrination, self-training and terrorist glorification.

In the case of the detainee in Guipuzcoathe investigation began at the beginning of this year when experts in the fight against terrorism detected an individual aligned with the tenets of DAESH who was preparing and disseminating, through his social networks, radical and violent jihadist material. In the early hours of last Tuesday, the agents initiated a police operation that resulted in the arrest of this person, the search of his home and two vehicles. In them, the researchers have intervened various computer material that is being analyzed.

After the timely investigation, the agents verified how among the contacts on their social networks there were several jihadist profiles located in a conflict zone. In addition, it made clear the advanced state of radicalization of the detainee, who massively displayed a large amount of violent material and terrorist glorification.

In his many comments on social networks, he praised the mujahideen – jihadist fighters – and encouraged them to commit terrorist attacks. He even expressed his desire to do jihad and become a martyr. In this sense, and given the possibility of committing a violent action of a jihadist nature, the person under investigation was arrested.

Aware of his terrorist activity, he took strict security measures to prevent police services from detecting it. Thus, among other things, he used computer programs that allowed him to navigate safely, thus avoiding being detected and identified by the Police.

Collaboration with Morocco

The operation, which has been carried out by agents from the General Information Commissariat and the Provincial Information Brigade of San Sebastián, has been carried out under the direction of the Central Court of Instruction number One and the coordination of the Prosecutor’s Office of the National Court. At the international level, it has had the collaboration of the General Directorate of Security of the Territory of Morocco (DGST), thanks to which numerous terrorists have been arrested in both countries in recent years. Such collaboration is essential for counterterrorism effectiveness, given their excellent professionalism and knowledge of the terrorist threat.

Likewise, it shows the intense activity carried out by the General Information Commissioner to fight jihadist terrorism both inside and outside our borders, within the framework of international collaboration as one of the priorities of the National Police.

After being made available today to the Central Court of Instruction number Five of the National Court The detainee has entered prison.

The one arrested in Avilés

The investigation into this subject began at the beginning of this year, when the agents detected a radicalized individual who launched pro-jihadist proclamations through social networks. The operation has been carried out by agents from the General Information Commission and the Provincial Information Brigade of Asturias. In addition, it has been carried out under the direction of the Central Court of Instruction number Five and the Prosecutor’s Office of the National Court.

During the investigation, the agents verified how the detainee had internalized the jihadist ideology. As a consequence, this subject was very active on social networks, where he had a large number of followers to whom he sent pro-jihadist multimedia content. In these contents, the detainee openly expressed his hatred towards everything Western and its way of life. In his publications he directly incited the carrying out of jihad, calling for the uprising of the Muslims of the city of Melilla and made comments in favor of the Palestinian cause.

Furthermore, aware of the illegality of his activities, the detainee adopted different security measures to avoid detection by police officers. All of this, together with the fact that the detainee had intense ideas of carrying out an act of martyrdom, led to the agents proceeding to his arrest early last Tuesday. In addition, they searched two homes, seizing various computer equipment, which continues to be analyzed. With this, investigators consider a danger to national security neutralized.

Also today, the detainee has been placed at the disposal of the Central Court of Instruction number Five of the National Court, who has ordered his imprisonment.