Anti-ETA death squad terrorist held for joining jihadist cause
Suspect had served 18 years for a 1984 murder, and was now allegedly planning Islamist attack
Spanish authorities have arrested a man who already served 18 years for participating in state-sponsored death squads in the 1980s, on the suspicion that he was now preparing an Islamist attack in Spain. The arrest took place in the province of Segovia.
Daniel Fern¨¢ndez Ace?a, 57, had previously been convicted for the 1984 murder of a French railway worker in the southern French town of Hendaye. That assassination was part of Spain¡¯s dirty war against the Basque terrorist group ETA in the 1980s, carried out through an organization called GAL, which killed an estimated 23 ETA members.
According to the Interior Ministry, the Basque-born suspect is considered very dangerous and may have had access to firearms. He has been described by intelligence services as ¡°a lone wolf¡± who chose to support the self-proclaimed Islamic State (ISIS) in recent times.
The suspect was ¡°ready to carry out indiscriminate suicide attacks against transportation networks¡±
On social media, Fern¨¢ndez Ace?a had recently manifested his ¡°determination to commit a terrorist attack¡± in the name of ISIS. His Facebook contacts include many individuals professing the Muslim faith.
On Tuesday morning, investigators also questioned a resident of Valsa¨ªn, a hamlet of 170 people in Segovia province, over his relationship with the alleged self-made jihadist.
Several locals consulted by the Efe news agency said that Daniel Fern¨¢ndez Ace?a often visited his property in Valsa¨ªn, where he and the man brought in for questioning were described as having a relationship.
The same sources said that this second suspect is ¡°odd and anti-social¡± and that he has been arrested repeatedly in the past for drug possession.
The Spanish Civil Guard has also searched another home in La Granja (Segovia), where they were hoping to find clues as to potential attacks being planned by Fern¨¢ndez Ace?a, and whether any third parties were helping him, either in Spain or elsewhere.
The detainee had indoctrinated himself ¡°into religious extremism of a jihadist nature, doing propaganda work for DAESH [the acronym for ISIS favored by security forces] and entertaining the determination to perpetrate a terrorist attack.¡±
He had allegedly traveled to Afghanistan, Syria and Palestine, where he evidenced a desire to commit suicide attacks, given the chance.
Fern¨¢ndez Ace?a was very active on social media, where he expressed support for jihadist organizations. He had become noticeably more radical since the summer, professing admiration for the terrorist actions perpetrated in Europe in recent months.
According to the Interior Ministry, the suspect had reached the point where he was ¡°ready to carry out indiscriminate suicide attacks against transportation networks.¡±
In 1985, Daniel Fern¨¢ndez Ace?a and an associate, Mariano Moraleda Mu?oz, were convicted to 30 years for participating in the murder of the French national Jean-Pierre Leiva as part of the Antiterrorist Liberation Groups (GAL). But the alleged mastermind behind the killing, a businessman named V¨ªctor Manuel Navascu¨¦s Gil, was acquitted due to lack of evidence against him.
English version by Susana Urra.
Tu suscripci¨®n se est¨¢ usando en otro dispositivo
?Quieres a?adir otro usuario a tu suscripci¨®n?
Si contin¨²as leyendo en este dispositivo, no se podr¨¢ leer en el otro.
FlechaTu suscripci¨®n se est¨¢ usando en otro dispositivo y solo puedes acceder a EL PA?S desde un dispositivo a la vez.
Si quieres compartir tu cuenta, cambia tu suscripci¨®n a la modalidad Premium, as¨ª podr¨¢s a?adir otro usuario. Cada uno acceder¨¢ con su propia cuenta de email, lo que os permitir¨¢ personalizar vuestra experiencia en EL PA?S.
En el caso de no saber qui¨¦n est¨¢ usando tu cuenta, te recomendamos cambiar tu contrase?a aqu¨ª.
Si decides continuar compartiendo tu cuenta, este mensaje se mostrar¨¢ en tu dispositivo y en el de la otra persona que est¨¢ usando tu cuenta de forma indefinida, afectando a tu experiencia de lectura. Puedes consultar aqu¨ª los t¨¦rminos y condiciones de la suscripci¨®n digital.
