Terror Attack Thwarted in Barcelona

Hat tip Vlad Tepes



-La Vanguardia


Spanish police arrested a Moroccan national this morning in Barcelona who, they charge, was planning to carry out a lone wolf attack on behalf of ISIS. He is described as a lone wolf who had become radicalized and swore allegiance to ISIS. Police, who had him under surveillance, decided to arrest him when it appeared he might be ready to strike.


-El Pais

The below article by La Vanguardia is translated by Fousesquawk. There is an accompanying video in the article without voice narration.



https://www.lavanguardia.com/politica/20200508/481018238726/detenido-barcelona-yihadista-radicalizado.html

Profoundly radicalized Jihadist arrested in Barcelona

The individual had sworn loyalty to Daesh (ISIS) and demonstrated the will to carry out a terrorist action

The Civil Guard has arrested a Moroccan citizen  in Barcelona linked to Daesh, and who demonstrated the will to carry out a terrorist action.

The individual was arrested this morning in a dwelling on Calle (Street) Josep Anselm Clavé, between Passatge de la Pau and Nou de Sant Francese Street in the district of Cuitat Vella, Barcelona, (He had) shown signs of radicalization and affinity to the Islamic State for at least four years.

The police blocked traffic in the street where he resides, and agents of the Armed Institute (Civil Guard) searched the residence until shortly before 12 (noon). Agents of the Civil Guard transported the arrestee in a van at 11:47, accompanied by three police vehicles in front and one other behind.

The individual came out of the building dressed in black with a mask covering his mouth and nose also with a plastic visor in front, which fell off at the moment in which he was placed in the police van.

Until recently, the process of radicalization was apparently discreet, both on the physical level as on the virtual level, and in no way was he identified as a major actor. It was precisely during the current state of alarm, according to the Civil Guard, (that) the radicalization of the individual was activated in a "highly noticeable and concerning manner".

The arrestee publicly showed his adherence to the terrorist postulates of Daesh and hatred toward the West on social media. In addition, he was observed avoiding the confinement in a habitual manner and without justification in a possible search for targets.

The principal hypotheses point to his recent radicalization could be a response to calls made by the leadership of Daesh for solitary actors located in the West to mobilize and perpetrate attacks in their places of residence.

The investigation concluded that it was a real threat for security after the agents verified, among other things, that the arrestee was found to be under the total influence of the propaganda and postulates of Daesh, including sworn fidelity to the terrorist organization.

According to the Armed Institute (Civil Guard), the investigation, directed by the Central Court of Investigation number 4 and the Public Prosecutor of the National Court, was carried out with the collaboration of the US FBI and General Directorate of Security of Morocco (DGST).