Costa Blanca

Elche jihadists arrested

The four young people detained in Elche in December were admirers of the most ruthless jihadists, played violent video games from Al-Qaeda and ISIS, and left behind manuscripts that explicitly discussed “killing Christians.” They were prepared to take a decisive step in their radicalism, but their detention by the police stopped them. The suspects stated that they wanted to name the explosive device the “Mother of Satan,” which was used by the young terrorist cell that carried out the 2017 attacks on Barcelona and Cambrils.

On November 28th, 2024, two of the four minors arrested had a chat about the explosive triacetone triperoxide (TATP), according to counterterrorism effort sources who spoke to El Confidencial. This substance is frequently utilised by jihadist terrorist organisations and is referred to as “the mother of Satan” due to its destructive effects. Investigations by the General Information Commissariat (CGI) of the National Police have shown that the communication covered the desire to acquire the components required to manufacture the explosive.

Extremist pro-jihadist online groups frequently honour past terrorists who used this explosive in their assaults and provide information on how to create TATP. These terrorist groups’ official media also frequently provides guides to persuade any would-be jihadist to conduct out acts in their nations. “Mother of Satan” is extremely sensitive, but it doesn’t require a lot of advanced infrastructure. In the summer of 2017, it was the bomb that the Ripoll jihadists were producing in the Alcanar home on Imam Es Satty’s orders. An unintentional explosion derailed the original plan to use the bomb for a large-scale attack on a famous Barcelona structure, such as the Sagrada Familia. Instead, they chose to launch a deadly mass attack on La Rambla.

This publication claims that the four Elche adolescents were taken into custody by the National Police in mid-December, only a few weeks after the explosives discussion that set off the counterterrorism experts’ alarms. Even at the risk of earning lighter court punishments, security agencies have long depended on preemptive measures like these before it’s too late. According to the sources consulted, there was concern that the Basilica of Santa María in the town of Alicante might be attacked by this self-indoctrinated cell.

The children are alleged to have self-indoctrinated terrorists. On some of their Facebook and TikTok profiles, they left behind signs of their growth. They uploaded terrorist organisations’ propaganda. A handcrafted collage of articles about John the Jihadi, a charismatic member of the British-born terrorist group DAESH, who is well-known for appearing in graphic execution films, was discovered among the possessions of one of the individuals when the officers searched their homes. Additionally, a notebook contained handwritten writings with references to jihad that called for the murder of Christians and unbelievers. This young terrorist group was composed of minors, and the National Police were able to identify how they discussed their plans with a strong radical bent by intercepting their conversations. One of the inmates’ defence lawyers tried to minimise these exchanges by claiming in his appeal that they were “nothing more than conversations between teenagers.”

He also said it was typical for the captives to watch violent extremist films. He said that “viewing images is normal considering the content of video games on the market.” Supporters of jihadist organisations have created online personas and games featuring terrorist insignia, such as the one depicted in this article, in recent years. Experts in the battle against this phenomena caution that it is just another recruitment tactic.

In attempt to persuade the court to release him because there was no flight danger, one of the people detained in Elche also stated that he lived a peaceful life with his parents. His case shows that there are no distinct characteristics among the young people who are being looked into for jihadist terrorism, as seen by his strong high school scores. At the request of the Prosecutor’s Office, the four were sent from Elche to Madrid, especially to the Teresa de Calcuta juvenile centre.

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Related Topics:Alicante Attack Attacks Barcelona Children Court Elche Madrid Market Murder National People Police

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Costa Blanca

Elche mother sentenced to 19 years for the murder of her son and the abuse of her twins

A woman has been sentenced to a total of 19 years and seven and a half months in prison by the Jury Court of the Seventh Section of the Alicante Court, which is located in Elche. She was convicted of murdering her two-year-old son in Bigastro by suffocation after having routinely abused him, as she had done with her other sons.

The Court, which upheld the jury’s verdict, convicted her of one count of murder, another count of habitual abuse, and six counts of bodily harm. The Court considered the aggravating circumstance of kinship and the mitigating circumstances of confession, undue delay, and acting under the influence of drugs.

The convicted woman is required to pay €100,000 in compensation to each of the deceased’s two brothers, as well as an additional €10,000 to the deceased’s twin, for the injuries and after-effects he experienced as a result of the incident.

A house in the town of Bigastro was the residence of the mother and her children, who were two-year-old twins and a nine-year-old girl at the time, as indicated by the statement of proven facts in the sentence. The convicted woman struck the twins with a variety of objects on the head, torso, or extremities and shook them on at least six occasions, resulting in multiple fractures.

On June 11th, 2022, the woman returned from the park with the two children and, after putting one of them to bed, grabbed the other by the neck and squeezed him until he perished by strangulation, the attacks continued repeatedly, establishing a climate of peaceful disruption.

The jury determined that the defendant’s psychological state was exacerbated by her drug use since the age of 20, which had a detrimental impact on her willpower at the time of the homicide. The prosecution and defence concurred with the Prosecutor’s Office during the oral hearing, while the defendant acknowledged the facts. The Alicante Court’s sentence is not definitive and may be appealed to the Civil and Criminal Division of the TSJCV.

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Costa Blanca

A second runway at Alicante-Elche Airport has been rejected by the government

As per a parliamentary response to PP senator Agustín Almodóbar, the Government has disregarded the long-awaited second runway for the Miguel Hernández airport in Alicante-Elche, at least for the next few years. Almodóbar emphasised that the airport has experienced a surge in traffic of over two million travellers in a single year.

“Do you not believe that it would be necessary, given the increasing demand, and that the investment would be more than justified, as has been long demanded by Alicante institutions and society?” The Popular Party leader enquired, characterising the work that Pedro Sánchez’s administration had planned as “insufficient”.

Nevertheless, the Upper House’s response is unequivocal: “Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández Airport currently possesses modern, secure facilities, as well as competitive pricing and an adequate capacity to satisfy air traffic demand and ensure the mobility of its residents.”

The government contends that the “airport manager” already conducts “planning” in accordance with “operational needs and expected traffic demand”, and AENA predicts “future behaviour” in the “sizing” of these infrastructures.

At present, the project is anticipated to encompass “adaptation of the terminal and traffic areas”, as stated in the technical description of the works that were tendered in January of last year. This is part of the first segment of Asistencia Técnica de Redacción de Proyecto (Technical Assistance for Project Draughting,) which is valued at €19.8 million.

In contrast, the second runway is “envisioned as the airport’s ultimate expansion in the current Master Plan and will be constructed only when it is deemed necessary to satisfy the anticipated demand, as determined by technical criteria.”

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Police prevent three squatters from taking over an Alicante home

According to sources from the City Council, three squatters were apprehended after the intervention of officers from the Sant Vicent del Raspeig (Alicante) Local Police and the Guardia Civil prevented them from invading a residence.

On Saturday March 15th, the Benemérita requested the municipal security force’s intervention in response to an alleged attempt by multiple suspects to occupy the property.

The main post had been previously contacted to report an additional purported illegal entry on Velázquez Street.

The Guardia Civil assisted the local police officers in the arrest after they made several arrangements with the householder. The police arrived immediately. The suspects were transported to the headquarters of the State Security Forces.