El atropello en Murcia bajo sospecha de ataque terrorista
On 17 September, in the town of Torre Pacheco in Murcia, there was a multiple hit-and-run attack on the terrace of a bar, resulting in two deaths, one of them the driver of the car, and several injured1.
The driver, Abdellah Gmara, of Moroccan origin, had a stab wound in the chest2, allegedly made with the knife found in the same car of the accident, so the option of self-harm is being considered.
The main finding was a note found in the same car with references to Allah, as well as other comments, according to media such as RTVE based on information provided by Europa Press3. This note has changed the course of the investigation, being referred to the National Court for possible suspicion of a jihadist connection.
The authorities investigating the case have not found, or at least have not revealed, any further evidence confirming the individual's terrorist links. However, the Guardia Civil does not rule out the possibility of some mental imbalance based on the inconsistencies present in the note4.
In order to reveal the motive for the alleged attack, it is necessary to investigate the telephone and internet connections, as well as the websites frequented by Abdellah that could explain the possible radicalisation. In order to be considered a terrorist attack, it is not necessary to belong to a terrorist cell or organisation, as this type of act can be carried out individually, taking into account that the origin of his extremist beliefs has been acquired through a medium that can be related to them. In other words, it is not necessary to carry out an attack in the "name of" to be considered a terrorist act.
As José María Gil explains: "The passive terrorist, without being hierarchically linked to an organisation, can be inspired by jihadist terrorism and carry out a terrorist action5".
According to information provided by the newspaper El Español, which was able to gain access to the home of Hassan, the landlord of the house where Abdellah lived, only a prayer rug was found in his room. According to Hassan: 'Adbdellah did not go to the mosque or talk about the Koran, he was a person who sometimes prayed and sometimes did not, but a fortnight before Roldán's accident, he asked me if I had a prayer rug and went back to praying every day; Abdellah had not worked since July and spent most of the time without leaving his room'. As he testified in the interview, Abdellah hardly socialised and stayed most of the time in his room, with the internet as his only company6.
In relation to his past, as the attacker's brother reported to El Español, "He left Beni Mellal without telling my parents: he used false documentation to pass himself off as a member of a Moroccan family travelling to Spain; he was 13 years old when he ended up in a centre for immigrant minors and then moved to a supervised flat7". He finally obtained Spanish nationality in 2020.
According to José María Gil, he may have acted as what some call a "lone wolf" based on the information that has been revealed about his current situation and his history since his departure from Morocco, including his experiences in Spain. As he expressed in the letter found in the car, "he was leaving this world because he was traumatised by problems he had had in Spain", which could be related to his stay in the centre for minors in Valencia until 2012, where, according to the letter, he suffered abuse, something that has yet to be corroborated.
Whether or not this is finally a jihadist act, it is clear that it is difficult to detect and locate in advance this type of individuals who are being introduced to jihadist ideology in an autonomous and discreet manner, seeking divine salvation for their earthly problems in armed jihad. In addition to highlighting the need to improve psychological help and optimise conditions in detention centres and CIEs, as well as follow-up after leaving them, using a prospective approach that avoids possible cases of radicalisation.
References:
RTVE; Agencias. (17 de Septiembre de 2021). Dos muertos tras arrollar un coche la terraza de un bar en la localidad murciana de Torre Pacheco.
El HuffPost; Europa Press. (21 de Septiembre de 2021). La Audiencia Nacional investiga como un atentado yihadista el atropello de Murcia. El HuffPost.
RTVE. (21 de Septiembre de 2021). La Audiencia Nacional investiga como atentado yihadista el atropello múltiple en Murcia.
Vega, I., Muñoz, P., & Morcillo, C. (21 de Septiembre de 2021). La Audiencia Nacional investiga por terrorismo el atropello múltiple en Murcia. ABC.
Badía, J. G. (22 de Septiembre de 2021). En casa del investigado por terrorismo: "Abdellah empezó a rezar 15 días antes de estrellar el coche". El Español.
Íbidem.
Íbidem.
