The National Police has dismantled a jihadist group that “constituted a real threat to security,” in which detainees “They were very radicalized and fully adhered to the tenets of DAESH.” The collaboration with the Moroccan DGST has been decisive in the dismantling of this structure that operated in the Ceuta-Castillejos axis, making three of the arrests
This Monday, the six detained by the National Police they went to judicial provisiondecreeing the head of the Central Court of Instruction number One of the National Court the entry into prison of all of them.
This investigation began in mid-2023 when the agents detected a group of very radicalized people who they used social networks to, presumably, view and share audiovisual content philologist. After the appropriate monitoring, the agents verified that the detainees were engaging in belligerent jihadist activity, with direct threats to the Western population and the Jewish community, and inciting the commission of violent actions. Likewise, the agents detected demonstrations that showed their intention to move to combat zones on the African continent, controlled by factions of terrorist organizations.
The collaboration with the General Directorate of Territorial Surveillance (DGST) It has been key to the success of this operation, allowing the dismantling of a structure that operated in the Ceuta-Castillejos axis, and which included very radicalized individuals, adhering to the tenets of the terrorist organization DAESH and with the will to carry out violent actions. With this, the agents consider a real danger to the security of both countries neutralized.
The operation, which has been carried out by agents from the General Information Commissariat of the National Police, has had the collaboration of the Provincial Information Brigades of Ceuta, Segovia, Málaga, and Madrid and the Local Information Brigades of Ibiza and Algeciras, all under the direction of the Central Court of Instruction number One and the Prosecutor’s Office of the National Court. Furthermore, at an international level, it has had the support of the EUROPOL Agency.
Social networks are increasingly becoming the best tool to radicalize mainly young people and bring them closer to the ideals of terrorism. According to a study by the El Cano Institute, between 2012 and 2023, there have been cases of 205 jihadists convicted or killed in Spain and in all of them the digital sphere has played a crucial role in this process, facilitating access to extremist content and allowing the connection between like-minded individuals.
Just a month ago, the National Police arrested two individuals in Itsasondo (Gipuzkoa) and Avilés (Asturias) for their alleged involvement in the dissemination of jihadist messages through social networks. As reported RTVEboth detainees were placed at the disposal of the Investigative Court number 5 of the National Court, which ordered their imprisonment.
The investigation, which began in early 2024, initially focused on an individual in Itsasondo, identified for sharing violent content related to the Islamic State and during his arrest, the authorities searched his home and two vehicles, seizing computer material that is being analyzed. According to the agents, the detainee maintained contact with jihadist profiles in conflict zones and consumed large amounts of content that glorified terrorism.
On the other hand, in Avilés, the authorities identified another radicalized individual who used social networks to spread pro-jihadist messages. This subject had a considerable number of followerswhom he incited to jihad and openly expressed his hatred towards Western culture.
