Sixteen arrested in police operation against Spanish branch of international Neo-Nazi group
Combat 18 is outlawed in Germany and designated a terrorist organization in Canada
A joint operation between Catalonia's Mossos d'Esquadra police and Spain's National Police dismantled the Spanish branch of an international white supremacist organization on Tuesday.
Neo-Nazi group Combat 18 is outlawed in Germany and designated a terrorist organization in Canada.
Police carried out 14 searches in various Catalan municipalities, as well as in Madrid, Lugo, Malaga and Toledo. They arrested 16 people, 13 men and 3 women.
Combat 18 is considered the armed branch of the far-right extremist organization Blood and Honour, which has a presence in several countries and aims to achieve its political goals via a clandestine armed struggle.
The organization spreads hate for racist, antisemitic and ideological reasons, a Mossos d'Esquadra statement explained.
They aim to establish a Neo-Nazi regime, destabilize the normal functioning of political, social and economic institutions, and seriously disrupt public order in their pursuit of white supremacist control.
11 arrests in Catalonia
Under the direction of Manresa District Court No. 3, agents carried out 14 searches: ten in Catalonia and four elsewhere in Spain.
Of the 16 arrests, 11 were made in Catalan municipalities: two in Barcelona, two in Lloret de Mar, two in Prat de Llobregat, two in Mollerussa, two in Sentmenat and one in Sant Boi de Llobregat.
Two arrests were made in Malaga (Andalusia), one in Lugo (Galicia), one in Arganda del Rey (Madrid) and one in Ventas de San Julián (Toledo).
The suspects had connections to other members of Combat 18 in Europe and South America.
The group's activities in Spain included holding multiple organizational meetings, recruitment of militants, producing merchandise to finance the group, attempts to source firearms, and planning attacks against people and property.
Police also accuse them of far-right proselytizing in the form of racist, antisemitic, LGBTQ-phobic, and xenophobic hate speech, online, offline, and in instant messaging groups.
The investigation remains open and further arrests are not being ruled out. Those detained are expected to appear in court in the coming days.