Walter Finch
SPANISH authorities have deported a Chechen national who was suspected of being the head of a jihadist cell planning attacks in Spain.
German Bagaev was arrested in January in a Barcelona prison while already serving time for shooting two people in Benidorm in 2018.
One of the victims, who was shot twice, testified that he ‘would feel safer if the convicted man were deported.’
The frightened testimony was in contrast to the image Bagaev projected in court, where he arrived smiling and ‘friendly’.
An investigation by the Mossos d’Esquadra and the Guardia Civil revealed that Bagaev was allegedly plotting to acquire weapons and explosives and recruit followers from within the prison.
While the investigation uncovered evidence of radicalization and potential terrorist activities, authorities were unable to find concrete proof of an imminent attack.
Intercepted communications and even a recording device hidden in the suspect’s cell later provided new evidence of Bagaev’s involvement in ‘terrorist activities and the indoctrination of other inmates at the Brians prison,’ according to a report by the Public Ministry.
Despite the lack of physical evidence, the Spanish courts deemed Bagaev, 41, from Grozny, the capital of Chechnya, a threat to national security and ordered his deportation.
The decision was based on a combination of factors, including his previous convictions for violent crimes, his alleged involvement in radical Islamist groups, and his attempts to recruit others to his cause.
The deportation of Bagaev has raised concerns about the ongoing threat of terrorism in Spain.
While authorities have disrupted numerous terrorist plots in recent years, the case highlights the challenges of preventing attacks by individuals who are radicalised in prison or online.
The deportation, which took place last week, includes a ten-year ban on returning to Spain.
