Police arrest 17 in anti-terrorism operation

Cell plotted attack in Barcelona

Man arrested in an anti-terrorism operation in Barcelona (by Miquel Codolar)
Man arrested in an anti-terrorism operation in Barcelona (by Miquel Codolar) / ACN

ACN | Barcelona

January 15, 2019 04:44 PM

Catalan police have arrested 17 members of a terrorist cell that was plotting an attack in Barcelona.

Early on Tuesday morning, heavily-armed police officers raided six buildings in Barcelona and Igualada, in central Catalonia, following a long-term anti-jihadist operation called 'Alexandria.'

Some 100 officers from the Catalan police were involved in the operation, which was ordered by Spain's National Court.

Five alleged terrorists were in an advanced stage of radicalization, but police sources told Catalan News that they still didn't have the capacity to carry out a terrorist attack.