Islamic terror strike thwarted in Spain

Reuters/NY Times:

Islamic radicals may have been planning an attack in Barcelona, Spain's Interior Minister Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba said, after police found explosive materials and arrested those accused of involvement early on Saturday.

Rubalcaba told a news conference civil guard police found bomb-making materials during raids on five addresses and arrested 12 Pakistanis and two Indians after receiving information from its own and other European intelligence agencies in recent days.

Rubalcaba said Saturday's raids were distinct from a number of operations against Islamic militants in recent years which were largely against groups that sought to finance radical groups or recruit members to fight.

"Here we are looking at something different: a well-organized group who were going beyond ideological radicalism to acquiring materials to make explosives and therefore eventually to carry out violent attacks," he said.

He said a range of bomb-making materials had been found including four timers. Computers were also seized in the raid which took place at 00.30 a.m.(6:30 p.m. EDT.)

Spain's Interior Ministry regards Islamic militants, rather than armed Basque separatists ETA, as Spain's greatest security threat and has significantly beefed up surveillance of mosques and employed more Arabic translators in the last four years.

...

It is not clear how the hiring of Arabic translators led to the capture of the Pakistanis and Indians involved in this arrest.

What is clear is that Spain's exit from Iraq has not reduced the threat from Islamic religious bigots who want to restore Islamic tyranny in Spain. The Socialist in charge in Spain have done nothing that has reduced the threat and have made the country more vulnerable with their weak policies and their economic programs which weaken the economy. The fact is that the religious bigots hate everyone who does not agree with their weird religious beliefs and that includes other Muslims.