Spain remands Syrian refugee suspected of planning jihadist attack on his high school

[Valin]

Times Of Israel/Reuters

Court says ‘tremendously homophobic and antisemitic’ 17-year-old pledged allegiance to Islamic State, learned how to make bombs

Reuters

23 January 2024

MADRID — Spain’s high court on Tuesday ordered that a 17-year-old student suspected of having links to the Islamic State group and of planning to attack his high school be held on remand at a youth detention center for at least six months.

The student, a Syrian national, was arrested early on Monday in the southern town of Montellano near Seville, and has been charged with belonging to a terrorist organization and possessing explosives.

Jose Luis de Castro, the judge in charge of the court’s section for minors, said in his order that “these felonies of enormous gravity” justified the pre-trial detention.

There is “solid evidence” that the suspect obtained various substances used for homemade explosives, as well as manuals for their manufacture, the judge said, adding that the suspect had also pledged loyalty to Islamic State on social media.

The suspect had been living with his mother and 10-year-old sister in Montellano, a town of 7,000 people, for two years. All three have refugee status, according to Montellano’s mayor, Curro Gil.

(Snip)