Assassination Attempt in Spain and Possible Link to Iran

Earlier this month, we reported on the arrest of a Tunisian man in the Netherlands who is wanted for allegedly shooting a Spanish politician in Madrid last November. This case has garnered considerable publicity in both countries. The suspect, Mehrez Ayari, 38, is suspected of having acted in concert with members of the notorious Mocro Maffia (Moroccan Mafia), which controls most of the cocaine trade in the Netherlands and Belgium. It is also suspected that the assassination attempt in Spain was on behalf of the Iranian government. 

This week, it is now being reported in the Spanish and Dutch press that Ayari and a Colombian suspect were preparing to murder an unidentified Iranian journalist and activist residing in the Netherlands when they were arrested by Dutch police. This gives further fuel to the suspicion that there is an Iranian connection.

The below newspaper articles from Ondacero (Spain) and NOS (Netherlands) are both translated by Fousesquawk. Note that unlike Spain, the Dutch press is not naming the Tunisian suspect, Ayari, by name.

First the Spanish article.

 https://www.ondacero.es/noticias/mundo/detenido-ataque-vidalquadras-acusado-intentar-matar-reportero-irani-holanda_20240626667c71a8888bcf0001a2e5a0.html

Arrested person in Vidal-Quadras attack accused of intending to kill Iranian reporter

The Dutch prosecutor’s office has announced that Mehrez Ayari is suspected of “preparing to assassinate an Iranian activist and journalist who resides in the Netherlands”.

EFE (Spanish International News Agency) Madrid

June 26, 2024 at 21:53

Caption: Detainee for attack on Spanish politician accused of intending to kill Iranian reporter.

Tunisian Mehrez Ayari, detained in the Dutch city of Haarlem at the beginning of the month as the alleged perpetrator of the attack against ex-politician, Alejo Vidal-Quadras, is also suspected of “preparing the assassination of an Iranian activist and journalist who resides in the Netherlands,” as announced Wednesday by the Dutch prosecutor’s office.

The 38-year-old Tunisian, who has been identified as Mehrez Ayari, was arrested in Haarlem at the beginning of this month by Dutch police, together with another accused (person), a 27-year-old Colombian.

“Officers of the North Holland Unit received an alert of a suspicious situation on June 6, 2024 and immediately responded. Arriving at the scene, they saw two men running. The officers pursued them on foot and were able to arrest both. They were found to be in possession of firearms,” the Dutch prosecutor’s office stated, who (also) stated that the investigation is continuing.

Both detainees remain totally isolated and are only in contact with their respective lawyers.

Was detained as he was about to commit a similar attack to that on Vidal-Quadras

Last week, sources close to the investigation told EFE that the participation of the Mocro Maffia (Moroccan mafia) in the attempt to assassinate the former politician confirms the suspicions of the Iranian trail (connection) since it is not the first time that the Iranian regime “hires” hit men from that criminal network principally made up of criminal of Maghrebian (North African) origin. 

According to information shared by Spanish police, Ayari was detained in Haarlem, on the street, as he was about to commit another attack similar to that on Vidal-Quadras, former director of the Popular Party and co-founder of Vox (party), though it is not known if that victim is the same Iranian journalist and activist or if it is a different person. 

The National Court took over the investigation of the attack against Vidal-Quadras (due to) the suspicion of connections to Iran, which also led to the issuance of up to three arrest warrants against three of the six detainees.

They are Ayari himself and two other previously-detained persons, a woman also arrested in the Netherlands and a Venezuelan detained in Colombia and implicated in the purchase of a motorcycle used in the attack.

The Dutch article.

https://nos.nl/artikel/2526215-verdachte-van-aanslag-op-spaanse-politicus-ook-verdachte-in-nederlandse-zaak

NOS News-Yesterday, 12:51

Suspect in attack on Spanish politician also suspect in Dutch case

A man who is suspected of an attempted assassination of a Spanish politician is also a suspect in the preparation of an assassination of an Iranian activist and journalist who is residing in the Netherlands. That is what is reported by the Public Prosecutor’s Office.

The suspect, a 38-year-old man with Tunisian nationality, is in custody on suspicion of an attempted assassination of Alejo Vidal-Quadras in November of last year. This Spaniard from the right-populist Vox party, was shot in the face and (suffered) a broken jaw.

For this, the Tunisian was sought internally and was arrested June 6 in Haarlem when police came upon a suspicious situation. After a chase, he was arrested along with a Colombian. They were in possession of firearms. The Colombian man (27) is seen as a co-suspect in the case of the Iranian.

The Public Prosecutor’s Office reports that the suspects are still in restrictive custody, which means that they can only have contact with their lawyer. The Public Prosecutor’s Office cannot say which Iranian activist and journalist is involved. Incidentally, it did not come to an attack.

In the Vidal-Quadras case, in the beginning of May, a Dutch woman was arrested. Among other things, she is suspected of financing and preparation of the assassination attempt.