The Spanish Civil Guard (“Guardia Civil”) and Belgian police officers recently arrested a 34 year old man with jihadi terrorist ties in Verviers (Belgium).
The operation resulted in the release of a Spanish minor who had been missing since early July. The Information Services of the Spanish Civil Guard had been searching for her since detecting that she had been the recipient of online radicalization material.
She had apparently been escorted from her home to Belgium by members of a jihadi ring.
Following this, the Central Court for Minors at the National High Court issued a European and international order for the girl to be detained.
The Civil Guard, together with the Prosecutor’s Office and Central Court for Minors, began searching for her, suspecting she might become involved in terrorist activity. The investigation was then joined by the Belgian Federal Police.
Jihadi radicalization activity continues to lead to arrests, albeit the above presents a case of border spanning, intra-European recruitment, with agents in Spain and Belgium able to meet and travel with a potential member.
