A young man in his thirties was arrested Monday in Ribadumia (Pontevedra province) on suspicion of links to a jihadist cell.
The operation was carried out by officers from Spain’s National Police, specifically from the General Information Commissariat in Madrid, who traveled to the O Salnés region to conduct the arrest. The deployment began early in the morning, around 4:30 a.m., and within three hours, the operation concluded with the suspect in custody.
The man had rented a room in a house located in the parish of Sisán, which he shared with other tenants who were reportedly not connected to him. During a search of his room, officers seized various computer devices. Authorities believe he may have used this equipment to spread hate messages linked to an extremist interpretation of Islam and to maintain contact with like-minded individuals.
Residents indicated that the suspect had been living in the rented room for about a year and was not originally from the area. According to neighbors, nothing about his appearance raised suspicion. He was never seen driving and typically moved around on foot. He was described as keeping to himself and not engaging in conversation, even when passing others on Mosqueiro Street, where the residence is located.
The case has now been referred to Spain’s National Court (Audiencia Nacional), which handles terrorism-related offenses. Further details about the investigation and the activities attributed to the suspect are expected to emerge.
This is not the first time jihadist activity has been detected in the province of Pontevedra. About a year ago, the Civil Guard arrested two men in Pontevedra and a third in Poio following months of investigation into the online dissemination of terrorist propaganda. Those arrested included a Spanish citizen of Brazilian origin, who was remanded in custody, a 28-year-old Moroccan national, and another Spanish citizen of Moroccan descent born in Pontevedra. The latter two were released pending trial. That operation was carried out with support from Europol, the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation.
