Spain police hold man suspected of plotting attack

Spanish police have arrested a Moroccan man suspected of planning an attack in the name of the Islamic State group during Spain’s coronavirus crisis.

Spain’s Civil Guard said that Friday's arrest carried out in Barcelona was aided by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation and Morocco’s state security forces.

Investigators said they feared he was planning an attack, perhaps using a knife or with a vehicle, in Barcelona after he broke the virus confinement rules to move around the city, possibly searching for a target.

The suspect had been under observation for four years.

But the Civil Guard said his “process of radicalisation” had been accelerated during the lockdown that started in Spain in mid-March.

Investigators suspected the man had been motivated by calls made by Islamic State (IS) for followers to carry out attacks in their countries of residence.

Police said the suspect had made “public declarations” of his allegiance to IS and hatred for Western countries on social media.

(Representative Image)(Image Credit Pixabay)