Spanish authorities arrested two individuals on Tuesday who were suspected of attempting to recruit aspiring jihadis through official Islamic State (IS/ISIS) propaganda.
The new arrests come just one month after 11 individuals were rounded up for planning terrorist attacks near Barcelona, and just two months after four Barcelona family members were arrested for ties to a jihadist network that recruits fighters to wage holy war in Syria, according to reports.
“With their propaganda and proselytizing activities they were helping the ideology of the terrorist organization Daesh (ISIS),” read a statement from the Spanish Interior Ministry. The two individuals had already pledged their loyalty to ISIS, the statement added.
The two men “ensnared, radicalized and indoctrinated new militants to serve the organization in the future,” the Interior Ministry said. The two individuals used homes and mosques “with the sole goal of impregnating terrorist ideals in future militants,” officials added.
In April, 11 people were arrested near Barcelona for having ties to ISIS. Some were planning on bombing a Jewish bookstore, including plans to “snatch and behead” a Jewish captive, according to court documents. The Islamists attempted to acquire arms with the help of Diego Jose Frias, a member of a far right extremist group. A spanish journalist told the Wall Street Journal how the unlikely alliance had arisen: “They are united by a common enemy, the Jew,” he explained.
In 2015 alone, Spanish authorities have arrested over 40 people with ties to militant jihadist groups, Al Arabiya reports.
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.