Spanish law enforcement authorities have apprehended 14 individuals of Pakistani origin suspected of involvement in a jihadist network operating within the country. These arrests culminated in an operation initiated by Spain’s General Information Commissioner’s Office in response to the heightened anti-terrorist alert level following Hamas’ attack on Israel a month ago. Spanish Security Forces intensified surveillance of potential threats to prevent possible attacks.
All of the detainees hail from Pakistan and are reported to have resided in various regions of Spain, including Catalonia, Valencia, Guipuzcoa, Vitoria, Logrono, and Lleida. Euro Weekly News, the largest English-language newspaper in Spain, provided this information.
La Razon, a local daily newspaper, received confirmation of the arrests from police sources. The arrested individuals are scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday. Euro Weekly News reported that there is reason to believe these individuals formed a network that disseminated jihadist messages and fostered online radicalization.
David Atherton, a journalist at The European Conservative, shared on social media platform X that these 14 Pakistani jihadists have ties to Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), an Islamic extremist political party based in Pakistan.
“In Spain, 14 Pakistani jihadists have been arrested for terrorist activities. They resided in Catalonia, Valencia, Guipuzcoa, Vitoria, Logrono, and Lleida. They are linked to Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan, an Islamic extremist political party in Pakistan,” he stated.
Last month, Spain’s national police conducted a similar counterterrorism operation, resulting in the apprehension of four suspected jihadists. Euro Weekly News reported that these four suspects were arrested in the Granada municipality of Huetor-Tajar, Cubelles in Barcelona, and Madrid for “proselytism and jihadist recruitment.”
Authorities identified one of the arrested individuals as a man known as “Caliph,” who they described as the “creator and administrator of several groups where he attempted to indoctrinate young people in the jihadist creed.”
Euro Weekly News also reported that among those detained was a married couple who reportedly met after joining one of these online social media groups. The fourth suspected jihadist was described as an “indoctrinated” individual.
