In ilicitana county, residents woke to a significant security operation led by the Civil Guard, centered on a 44-year-old Iraqi national who holds Norwegian citizenship. Officials described the person as connected to jihadist terrorism. The arrest occurred last weekend, following a large deployment of Benemérita personnel that drew attention from the local community, which initially speculated about a marijuana plantation due to the scale of the presence. Yet there was no official confirmation supporting that interpretation, and some locals mentioned hearing claims of a jihadist affiliation. (Civil Guard spokespersons, cited in inquiries)
Attempts to obtain details from the Alicante Civil Guard Command about this counter-terrorism operation met with limited cooperation. Communication from Madrid and other state authorities was similarly restrained as the investigation progressed. (Official statements attributed to the Civil Guard)
The operation captured the countryside’s imagination and conversation in La Hoya throughout the weekend. The detainee, described as of Iraqi descent but Norwegian nationality, had resided in the La Hoya area for about a year. It is reported that he lived with a partner and two daughters, and neighbors reported a sense of unease at the arrest, noting that there had been no prior signs of such illegal activity in the neighborhood. (Community accounts cited in local reporting)
Authorities began their actions at eight in the morning, focusing on a residence associated with the family involved. The scene included both uniformed officers and plainclothes investigators, who secured entry and exit points as the operation unfolded. The breadth of the deployment indicated a careful, methodical approach typical of significant counter-terrorism inquiries. (Civil Guard operational briefing)
The detainee was transported to Madrid for trial proceedings and to face the appropriate national security judicial channels, with arrangements made to entrust him to the central facilities of the guards for further proceedings. (Judicial routing confirmed by security services)
In a separate note from recent years, Torrellano saw the arrest of a man involved in online activities tied to extremist content. He faced a conviction for glorifying terrorism and humiliating victims, a sentence later reduced by the National Supreme Court in July 2020 from 24 months to six months, on grounds that online dissemination was limited by the person’s relatively small following and limited engagement. (Judicial ruling cited in public records)