A man converted to a Spanish citizen was arrested by the National Police in Las Rozas, a town near Madrid. Authorities describe him as deeply radicalized by jihadist ideologies. He had previously spent time in jail and is now linked to a case involving a backpack found last month that contained Daesh related materials, instructions for making explosives, and a range of weapons.
According to the General Directorate of Security, the detainee remains in police custody. He had already faced charges for similar offenses in December 2020, with investigators now attributing to him the self-directed indoctrination and self-education that fuel extremist violence.
People close to the investigation said the 38-year-old individual had been released from prison in January after serving time in a temporary facility and was awaiting a new trial in Las Rozas for earlier events when he was arrested two years ago.
He was apprehended this Wednesday by agents from the National Police General Information Station inside a residence in an impoverished area of the town.
Following a decision from the No. 6 Court of the National Court, a magistrate ordered his immediate remand to prison on Thursday afternoon.
A questionable backpack
Last month, a member of the public alerted mall security after noticing a suspicious backpack stored in a closet. The store security alerted the National Police, who discovered a bag containing notes about constructing an alarmingly large number of weapons and devices in support of Daesh. The contents included explosives, various electronic devices, a knife, and a pair of nunchaku, a traditional martial arts weapon.
Investigators later confirmed that the backpack belonged to the detainee, who, after his initial release from prison, did not stray from the radical path that advocates violence.
Rapid radicalization
The first arrest in December 2020 followed investigators identifying a process of rapid radicalization fueled by the suspect’s consumption of terrorist content online. Over time, authorities noted a marked shift in his lifestyle, with intense online activity, growing social network contacts, and even connections to jihadist fighters in conflict zones.
Observations described a pattern of praise for militant groups and justification of attacks that had occurred in Europe, including high-profile violent acts during 2020.
Counter-terrorism experts say the individual had already reached a violent stage of radicalization, with indications of intent to travel to a conflict area in the Middle East to join extremist forces. Reports suggest aspirations of joining an extremist organization and participating in violent actions abroad were present at a high level of engagement.