(AFP) Europe’s latest jihadist attacks may have targeted France and Austria, but Spain, like the rest of the continent, remains within the sights of extremists and the threat level is still “severe,” experts say.
The issue has returned to the headlines in Spain since last month, with three men currently on trial near Madrid for helping the jihadists behind the 2017 vehicle attacks in Barcelona and a nearby resort that killed 16 and was claimed by the Islamic State (IS) group. The trial is due to end on December 16.
There have also been a string of arrests in recent weeks, including a Moroccan imam who, according to police, provided “logistical support” to an IS militant in Syria allowing him to settle in Spain in 2018.
There are five levels of threat in Spain and since 2015, the country has been at level four, meaning the threat of an attack is considered high.
