Spain is fast becoming the most explored country in the world by tourists. However, tourists are not the only ones who notice this beautiful, if somewhat politically torn country. It seems that Spain’s growing popularity among those around the world has also sparked the interest of a certain terrorist organization.
According to Spanish law enforcement authorities and countless news agencies around the world, the arrests of 14 Islamic terrorists on January 19, 2008 thwarted a planned attack in the city of Barcelona. Furthermore, the police report that some of these unidentified sleeper cell members had recently traveled to Pakistan to entertain an intensive al Qaeda training camp. It is suggested that this terrorist plot hoped to rival the 2004 train bombings in Barcelona, which killed a total of 191 people.
Currently, the police are investigating and detaining these suspects in accordance with Spanish law that allows a suspect to be detained for a maximum of 72 hours without charge. Pakistani officials reportedly alerted Spanish police to the likelihood of an upcoming terrorist attack in the city of Barcelona, according to a report by El Periódico de Catalunya.
The group had received orders from other terrorists living in Pakistan in the Waziristan region. Of the 14 detainees and members of a terrorist sleeping cell, 13 of them lived in Barcelona. Senior al Qaeda leaders are believed to have sent a man points to activate this terrorist sleeper cell and as a result, propel this group to take action in the future. Clearly, the arrival of the man points in Spain from Pakistan marked the activation of this group. Tea man points acts as a liaison with the leaders of Al Qaeda.
On the optimistic side, regarding global terrorism and law enforcement efforts to thwart such acts of destruction, it appears that law enforcement officials in Spain and France have equal access to information and thanks to the prompt action after notification by the Pakistani secret services in Barcelona. Spain is safe. These law enforcement officials are as well connected as Al Qaeda members who receive the information in time to arrest and detain this man, resulting in harm prevention from the entire group. Clearly, this failure by members of Al Qaeda exemplifies the due diligence that countries around the world are practicing. Law enforcement and all counter-terrorism agencies intend to prevent such events and acts of terror no matter where in the world the attempt is planned, and as a result, they are working together. This frustrated plot turned out to be Barcelona this time.