Terrorism in Spain

2016: Police and guard returned to use of guns and rifles

In December, 2016 it became known that police officers and agents of Home guards of Spain began to use guns and rifles at patrol of public spaces again. Besides, as reported El Mundo, also approach to accomplishment of similar tasks changes: if advised law enforcement officers earlier to resort to shots only in urgent cases, then now they are trained for application of this measure for neutralization of possible terrorists. Terrorist attacks in Europe became a reason for change of usual procedures.

In particular, an attack to the editorial office of the satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo in 2015 became a turning point. Then police officers with guns showed resistance to jihadists who had automatic machines. After these events of agents it was decided to arm properly for opposition to similar threats. Now they arrange submachine guns and other types of weapon of caliber 5.56 or 7.62 with which police officers patrol public spaces.

"We were always taught that in a conflict situation the shot should be the last, last resort to which we should resort. This mechanism of protection could cause a set of the most various problems – from possible errors to effects of legal character. In the light of existence of threat from ISIL all concept of use of weapon for neutralization of an aggressor changes",^[1] say police sources^[1].

In addition, also the structure of patrols changed: in places of accumulation of the people not two agents as earlier, and the whole groups are engaged in holding preventive actions.

"We act differently because the character of the enemy to which we resist changed. We are in adaptation process, and, undoubtedly, reaction methods for the last one and a half years significantly changed", concluded sources in police.

2014: Six members of Al-Qaeda are delayed

On May 30, 2014 it became known that agents of the Spanish police and Home guards delayed six people within special operation against the cell which is engaged in sending jihadi terrorists to zones of armed conflicts, generally to Syria, Mali and Libya. According to news agencies of the country, among arrested there was a first Spanish jihadist who came back from Mali and passed there training the "Movements for Unity of Jihad in the Western Africa" camp.

Criminal grouping sent to terrorist groups of Al-Qaeda in Sahel 26 jihadists, including 24 Moroccans and 2 Spaniards. All six detainees have the Spanish citizenship and live in the autonomous city of Melilla.

In March, 2014 the police of Morocco and Spain struck blow to one of the most active organizations which were engaged in recruitment of volunteers for "holy war" and their integration into the groupings relating to Al-Qaeda, in particular located in conflict zones like Mali or Syria. Then seven people, and three from them – in Melilla were delayed. Entered their number Moustapha Maia Amaia, the head of the organization.

The transaction which received the name Javer began on May 30, 2014 at 4 a.m. The home guards carried out eight searches in the houses located in different points of Melilla. At this time locals offended police officers and tried on them a misfortune. The moment of special tension was recorded during survey of one of houses. When police cars drove off from it, the group of citizens tried to block them the road. Several agents in masks and bullet-proof vests could open to machines a way. At this moment violators began to throw stones in cars, having broken glasses some of them.

2012: Three from the Pakistani grouping Lashkar-e-Taiba are delayed

On August 2, 2012 it became known that the Spanish police delayed three terrorists connected with the Pakistani grouping Lashkar-e-Taiba close to odious Al-Qaeda. Two detainees, presumably, natives of Russia, one of them - the Chechen. The Spanish authorities believe that these three prepared terrorist attack in Spain or other European country: in their apartment explosive was detected.

Expected terrorists were delayed on August 1 in different parts of Spain. Two were delayed in the city of Syyudad-Real: by the regular bus they went from Cadiz to Irun - the city located near border with France. The police carried out detention when the bus stopped at^[2].

The third, the citizen of Turkey, delayed in his house in La-Linea's town located in the province Cadiz together with the Moroccan spouse. Also in this apartment the police detected one more pair, but nothing is known of these people except that they were liberated.

Names of detainees are unknown, there are only initials - A.A.A., M.A. and C.Y. There are no exact data and on their nationality. If the Spanish media report the Turkish citizenship of C.Y. more or less surely, then with two other expected terrorists there is no such determinancy. According to some data, these people have the Russian citizenship; on others, they are natives of the former republics of the USSR. Only the fact that one of them the Chechen is more or less precisely known though in some publications Chechens call both.

Presumably, A.A.A. and M.A. constituted the greatest danger - they were looked for by intelligence agencies at once of several countries of Europe. Information on them a little: only the fact that one of them had training in the camp of Lashkar-e-Taiba and was an explosive and poisons specialist is precisely known. In the first publications it was said that one of detainees served in special troops of GRU, but afterwards mentioning of it from newspaper materials disappeared.

It is possible that communication of this person with the Russian special troops was finished thinking by the Spanish journalists or their sources. It can be connected with what descended from the A.A.A. and M.A. bus was delayed by six fighters of the Spanish special forces on fight against terrorism - on three on everyone. If M.A. managed to be delayed without any problem, then A.A.A. showed resistance which the Spanish police nearly validly called "extraordinary".

As for the third detainee, the Turk of C.Y., he executed a mediator role. He lived in La-Linea about one and a half years and worked as the foreman in Profield Contractors construction company in Gibraltar. The rental apartment of two other terrorists was located in 20 minutes walk from the house of the Turk which they, according to neighbors, regularly visited for the last several months.

At a search in La-Linea the police found a small amount of explosive which type is unknown, and about 100 grams of gunpowder in the house of the Turk. Also the hiding place which was empty was detected. Using the trained police dogs it was succeeded to establish that explosives were stored in a hiding place and that cleaned it recently. Besides, computers which belonged to terrorists were withdrawn.

According to the Minister of Internal Affairs of Spain Jorge Fernández Díaz, detainees probably prepared terrorist attack in the territory of Spain or other European country. The American naval base in the city of Rota located in Cadiz could be the possible purpose of terrorists; also the version about terrorist attack in the territory of France where, presumably, A.A.A. and M.A went is considered.

Nevertheless so far all this only assumptions. Nothing certain if they were, is known of plans of terrorists: at searches the police did not find any materials, confirmatory that preparation of a terrorist attack took place.

Anyway, Fernández of Diaz called anti-terrorist operation extremely successful and praised police officers and intelligence agencies. Spain received a praise for this transaction and from the USA, the main fighters against world terrorism. It was planned that on August 3 detainees will be interrogated by the Spanish police, the decision on their detention till this time was not made.

• On August 5, 2012 it became known that two Chechens delayed in Spain on suspicion of terrorism were taken into custody. The decision on arrest was made by the judge of Domestic court of Spain Pablo Ruz who counted the proved communication of Chechens with participants of the terrorist groups and the fact of storage of explosives.

Also names of detainees became known (earlier only initials were published in media). One of expected terrorists is called Eldar Magomedov though he was provided as Ahmad Avar. The second, reports El Correo, it was provided by Mahomed Adamov, his real name is still unknown.

According to La Razon with reference to the text of the order about arrest, Magomedov is known to the Russian intelligence agencies since 2010 as the participant of the international terrorist groups. On Magomedov the American intelligence agencies in which documents he passes under the name of Muslin Dost have data also.

The third expected participant of grouping the native of Turkey Cengiz Yalcin was arrested on Friday, August 3. As it was reported earlier, he executed a mediator role in grouping. Unlike two Chechens who arrived to Spain relatively recently Yalcin lived several years there, and in his house in La-Linea's city in the province Cadiz there was an expected shelter of terrorists.

To all three detainees police and intelligence agencies have no specific suspicions yet. Earlier the Minister of Internal Affairs of Spain Jorge Fernando Ruiz said that they probably prepared terrorist attack in the territory of Spain or some other European country, but any documents testimonial of this preparation, the police did not find.

It is known, however, that Yalchin was fond of aviamodelling and paraplanerism. His instructor told police that shortly before detention Yalchin asked it whether it can photograph from air shopping center in Gibraltar. Allegedly it was necessary for it for work: Yalchin was a foreman in the Gibraltar construction company.

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