Civil Guard authorities in Madrid arrested a 44-year-old man described as an imam and Arabic teacher at a local mosque. The suspect is alleged to have promoted extremist ideas among his students, including attempts to recruit would‑be candidates for ISIS.
The detained individual was placed at the disposal of the National Court judge Ismael Moreno, who ordered his provisional imprisonment, according to the National Police Madrid region’s official update.
Investigators indicate the imam conducted lessons at a mosque located in Madrid’s Villaverde district.
jihadist ideology
The case emerged from an Intelligence Service inquiry begun last year, triggered by concerns about his ties to jihadist ideology and the teaching of minor students.
Security officers reported that his rhetoric was not unnoticed within the mosque where he taught, and authorities subsequently required his removal. Nevertheless, he continued spreading his views in more private settings.
The detainee articulated an aggressive interpretation of religion, echoing the messages of major jihadist groups, and he repeatedly praised suicide bombing as a legitimate tactic against Jews, Christians, and apostates.
In classroom scenarios, these violent examples were presented as behavior to be emulated by Muslims.
The investigation was led by the Civil Guard Information Service, with the active involvement of Europol analysts, and coordinated by the Central Court of Investigation No. 2 and the National Court Prosecutor’s Office.
Current patterns show that recruiting young people to terrorist networks remains one of the most visible global phenomena associated with jihadist activity. This trend has been underscored by recent inquiries and official statements from authorities.
Since the Counter-Terrorism Alert was raised to level 4 on June 26, 2015, the Civil Guard has intensified all efforts related to radicalization and manipulation of younger audiences, recognizing that such activity can amount to support for terrorist organizations. The authorities have reiterated the need for vigilance against social influence campaigns that seek to normalize violence in the name of religion.