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Spanish police arrest prisoner who recruited fellow inmates for jihad

Jessica Jones
Jessica Jones - [email protected]
Spanish police arrest prisoner who recruited fellow inmates for jihad
Photo: Policía

A prisoner in jail in Segovia has been arrested for recruiting and radicalizing fellow inmates to fight for Isis on their release.

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A 42-year-old man of Moroccan origin has been arrested in Spain for recruiting jihadists from inside prison.

The man, named as A. Chiaki, was arrested on Monday by Spanish police for the recruitment and indoctrination of jihadists.

He is also suspected of making bomb threats in Madrid and Barcelona in the name of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of Isis, according to Spanish news agency Efe.

It is the first arrest in Spain relating to jihadist activity since the terror attacks in Paris on November 13th, in which 130 people were killed.

"Jihadi arrested who, from prison in Segovia, tried to recruit prisoners for Isis" 

A Chiaki is currently serving time for charges relating to domestic violence. In his defence he argued that his wife "belonged to him and therefore he, as a good Muslim, could do whatever he wanted with her", according to El Pais.

He was arrested in his cell on Monday on terrorism charges by officers from Spain’s specialist police intelligence unit.  

He targeted prisoners who were close to completing their sentences, according to police sources, who described him as "totally radicalized".

At the end of October two other prisoners, who had met in Segovia prison, were arrested after a letter was sent to the headquarters of Spain’s ruling Popular Party, threatening the country’s prime minister, Mariano Rajoy.

The letter, written in Arabic and Spanish, also warned of a bomb threat in Madrid and Barcelona.

Police said the latest arrest formed phase two of Operation Khalya against jihadist organizations in Spain. 

According to the latest data from Spain’s National Court, there are an estimated 100 prisoners locked up in Spain’s jails who are known to be involved in jihadist activity and a further 80 prisoners who are under surveillance for risk of radicalization.

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