In Barcelona, Spain, the local Police has arrested 10 Pakistani Muslim nationals on charges of encouraging killings and beheading to avenge ‘blasphemy’. The Pakistani nationals booked on terrorism-related charges were part of an organised criminal network and were using messaging groups to issue violent jihadist orders. The arrested jihadis were linked to the Pakistani Islamic terror outfit Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
The arrests were made after a joint operation conducted by the Mossos d’Esquadra (Catalonia Police), Spanish National Police, and Italian law enforcement agencies.
In a statement, the Spanish authorities said that the arrested Pakistani nationals used encrypted communication channels to indoctrinate followers and identify potential targets in Europe for attacks and beheadings.
The Spanish National Police said that there was a women-only online group led by one of the arrested women, where the members used to share Islamic jihadist materials and select targets for attacks.
Police in #Barcelona, #Spain arrested 10 Pakistani Muslims for using encrypted channels to encourage people to behead blasphemers. #blasphemy
— Faraz Pervaiz (@FarazPervaiz3) March 10, 2025
Another Pakistani was arrested in #Italy. The detainees were inspired by #Barelvi Extrimst outfit #TLP Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan. pic.twitter.com/o6oNQxji6i
On 6th March 2025, the arrested accused were presented before Spain’s Central Investigation Court No. 6. The accused Pakistani jihadis faced charges including terror financing, recruitment for extremism, and supporting radicalisation. The judge ordered provisional imprisonment for four of the jihadis for their alleged participation in crimes of glorification, apologia, financing and indoctrination of Islamic terrorism.
According to the Spanish National Police, the investigation is part of the third phase of an ongoing operation. This operation has yielded 30 arrests in Spain over the past three years. Among those arrested on 3rd March 2025, ten were nabbed in Barcelona and its metropolitan area, while one was caught in Italy.
“During the operation, which was carried out on Monday, March 3, 11 people were arrested, ten during the early hours of Monday, in the city of Barcelona and its metropolitan area, and another of the arrests the same day in Piacenza (Italy),” the Spanish authorities said.
This Jihadi terror network funding came mainly from regular contributions from its members, creating a self-sustaining system for its jihadist activities.
