This Is the Ngo Accused of Terrorist Links That Expands Across Catalonia

Islamic Relief Organized Events in Catalonia Despite Suspicions of Links to Radical Islamism, According to e-noticies. The NGO, investigated in several countries for alleged ties to radical Islamism, carried out activities in Reus, Lérida and Gerona.

Founded in the United Kingdom, Islamic Relief Has Been Accused of Connections to the Muslim Brotherhood and Funding Jihadist Activities. The German government withdrew its funding from Islamic Relief in 2020 due to suspicions of extremism, as did the United Kingdom and the United States.

Several leaders of Islamic Relief resigned in 2020 after messages on social media with anti-Semitic content and support for jihadism were revealed. Vox unsuccessfully attempted to suspend the NGO's fairs in Catalonia, arguing that they promote radical Islamism in the region.

The City Council of Esplugues de Llobregat, Governed by the PSC, Granted Up to 29,000 Euros in Subsidies to Islamic Relief, according to La Gaceta. Israel has accused Islamic Relief of being a channel for financing Hamas, while Europe has limited its operations due to suspicions.

The Province of Tarragona Has Been Identified as a Sensitive Area, with a High Presence of Salafist Communities and Islamic Radicalization. It is estimated that one in three mosques in Catalonia is controlled by radical groups, which concerns security authorities.

Islamic Relief defends its humanitarian work and denies links to terrorist activities, despite reports against it. Spanish authorities maintain the reinforced level 4 anti-terrorist alert following recent Islamist attacks in Europe. The case of Islamic Relief reignites the debate on the control of NGOs with possible extremist ties and their funding with public funds.

Catalonia Concentrates 30% of Jihadists in Spain

30% of jihadists in Spain are in Catalonia, which raises concerns among authorities. In 2024, 13 of the 49 anti-jihadist operations in the country were carried out in this region.

This represents 25% of the total interventions conducted. The information comes from the International Observatory of Studies on Terrorism and the Memorial Center for Victims of Terrorism.

Since 2015, 429 people have been arrested for jihadism in Spain. Of these, 124 are from Catalonia, which accounts for 28.9%.

This figure highlights the gap with the second region with the most arrests, Madrid, where 73 individuals (17%) were arrested. The third position is occupied by Valencia, with 37 detainees (8%).

One of the main concerns is the high concentration of Salafist mosques in Catalonia. It is estimated that more than 80% of these mosques in Spain are located in this region. Salafists control one in three mosques in Catalonia, becoming a focus of radicalization for the local Muslim community.

The situation is exacerbated by the permissiveness of Catalan authorities. Additionally, the dense Muslim population in the region also contributes to this problem. 26% of Moroccans residing in Spain are in Catalonia, which fosters the creation of closed communities prone to radicalization, especially among the youth.

The lack of control in this context is concerning. However, the police have managed to dismantle more than a dozen threats in the past year. This success is attributed to the collaboration between intelligence services and operations on the ground.