A person of Chechen origin was detained on Tuesday at Brians 2 prison in Catalonia as part of an operation led by Mossos d’Esquadra and the Civil Guard targeting terrorism. He had been sentenced to prison in November by the Alicante court for involvement in a 2018 shooting in the Benidorm area known as the “guiri” district.
The individual referred to as BagaevHe, along with two other individuals arrested in the same operation, were released without bail after appearing at the courthouse for related charges and selecting to exercise their right not to testify before the National Court, where proceedings were held.
He was escorted back to a Barcelona prison to serve his existing sentence for the shooting and for being found in a vehicle with a Ukrainian national in possession of weapons. The latest verdict imposes a total sentence of 7 years and 8 months, with 4 months left to serve for that prior conviction.
The National Court’s Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office has requested conditional release for the three detainees, with a requirement to appear in court periodically and a ban on leaving the country with their passports surrendered.
Regarding the Chechen citizen, the judge noted the difficult prison conditions he faced, which could influence a potential change in the decision should parole be granted in the future.
The investigation spans several Barcelona-area towns, including Rubí, Sant Pere de Ribes, and Martorell, and also involves Brians 2 prison and a related case in Mérida tied to a terrorist network described as spanning multiple towns. Ammunition, electronic devices, and documents were seized during the operation.
Although the Brians facilities were affected, that initial impact was not linked solely to jihadist crimes. The Chechen detainee is reported to be serving a sentence for other offenses, such as possession of a grenade.
Dismissal following a conviction
In the proceedings conducted last November, the Alicante court addressed the Benidorm shooting case. Four of the five defendants, including one Chechen national, pleaded guilty, which significantly reduced the requested sentence from twelve and a half years to between one and two years and three months for each. The fifth defendant was tried in absentia.
The shooting victim stated at the hearing that he had received compensation and expressed that he would feel safer if the assailant had been shot. The assailant was ordered to be expelled from the country.
The principal defendant, Bagaev, agreed to a prison term of two years and three months and a fine of 180 euros, and he apologized to the victim. His attorney requested the court to replace the sentence with dismissal, a measure that was nearly approved prior to the most recent arrest.
The Benidorm incident occurred on Mallorca Street around 21:00 on July 4, 2018. The defendant and the victim argued in a manner intended to intimidate, sparking a broader confrontation that involved several people and the use of bottles and blunt instruments. At one point, an individual, feeling subordinate, produced a firearm and handed it to another defendant, who fired several shots into the ground. The bullets ricocheted and hit the victim. Prosecutors had initially indicated they did not intend to pursue a murder charge, a position that later shifted during the investigation.