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The Mossos d'Esquadra (Catalan police) carried out an anti-terror operation this Tuesday morning in Barcelona and Igualada, targeting a jihadist cell.

Operation Alexandria, as it was codenamed, involved around a hundred officers and has so far led to 17 arrests. The core of the cell is apparently five Algerians aged between 33 and 44 who, according to the Catalan interior ministry, are highly radicalised. The others are accused of over 350 "property crimes" (a category that includes theft and damages) committed in Barcelona. Besides Algeria, among those arrested are individuals with Iranian, Libyan, Egyptian and Morrocan nationality. There is also one Spaniard.

The Mossos entered a total of 6 properties this morning. The operation is ongoing, but the interior department says that the threat "is completely neutralised". Five of the searches took place in Barcelona, one in Igualada, a small town 60km/37 miles inland from the capital. According to interior minister Miquel Buch, the investigation started eighteen months ago.

Despite the cell being formed of experienced criminals and intending to carry out an attack, investigation sources have told El Nacional that they "have the wish and not the capacity" to do so. It's believed, therefore, that the group was still in the early stages of planning.

Police commissioner Manel Castelleví said that the cell "clearly intended to commit an attack but never had the ability". All of the members have been closely monitored for 18 months, starting before the August 2017 attacks in Barcelona and Cambrils.

 

This morning, no infrastructure or logistics for an attack has been found within the properties searched, nor any evidence of a strategy to plan an attack on a specific date or against a specific target. 

Arrests

Today's searches started before 6 this morning. Of the seventeen arrests, at least one took place in Igualada. Another took place in street near the Catalan Parliament (carrer Arc de Sant Cristòfol), suspected to involve the cell's ringleader.

Police were also seen removing evidence from the property.

The arrested individual's flatmate, who was present at the time of the search, said that police entered the flat shortly after 5am. They'd lived together for a year.

The witness said that officers didn't know their names, and insisted that his flatmate "has never shown terrorist attitudes" and "doesn't even pray". That said, he had been arrested previously for "robbing purses". He added that his flatmate is Algerian, 34 years old and has lived in Barcelona for 9 years.

Interior Immoble detingut operació antiterrorista   Cèlia Forment

Inside the property on carrer Arc de Sant Cristòfol after the search - Cèlia Forment

Also from Algeria is the individual arrested on carrer Consell de Cent. On the building's ground floor is a carpinter's and a second-hand store. The owner told El Nacional that three Algerians lived in the flat in question, all in their thirties, and that in the last couple of years "the police have never had to intervene in the block for anything". All three were at home when the Mossos entered the property; only one was arrested.

Immoble Clot Operació Antiterrorista   Cèlia FormentEntrance to staircase on carrer Consell de Cent - Cèlia Forment

Police had to force their way into the property:

Porta esbotzada Consell de Cent operació antiterrorista   Cèlia FormentDoor to flat on carrer Consell de Cent - Cèlia Forment

In Barcelona's Nou Barris neighbourhood, the Mossos entered number 14.16 on carrer de l'Artesania. Two people were arrested, a man and a woman, and boxes of seized material were taken away.

Detinguda Nou Barris   Anton RosaWoman under arrest in Nou Barris - Anton Rosa

Detenció antiterrorista Vedrum Anton Rosa

Material seized by police in Nou Barris - Anton Rosa

Igualada was the site of the other operation, now finished, where one person was arrested.

Other warnings

Today's operation follows a long investigation by the police, under the guardianship of central court number 6 at the National Audience. The investigation has specifically been looking into alleged crimes of terrorismproperty crime, crimes against public health and criminal conspiracy.​

This investigation is unrelated to the alert over Christmas. On 23rd December, the US consulate in Barcelona gave a warning of a risk of possible terrorist attacks in the city over the holidays.