International Neo-Nazi Ring Dismantled in Spain

A successful operation has led to the Spanish branch of an international criminal organization, linked to national socialism and white supremacy, being dismantled.

A recent report from the Spanish Ministry of Interior revealed how a significant operation unfolded across Catalonia, Madrid, Lugo, Malaga, and Toledo. A total of 16 individuals, 13 men and three women aged between 30 and 45, were detained.

The majority, 11, were apprehended in Catalonia. Two were captured in Malaga and one each in Lugo, Arganda del Rey (Madrid), and Ventas de San Julian (Toledo).

Combat 18’s Notoriety

The detainees were allegedly members of Combat 18, dubbed the ‘armed arm’ of the far-right group Blood and Honour. With its roots in various nations, the neo-Nazi group has been prohibited in Germany and labelled a terrorist outfit in Canada.

Their ambition is to propagate white supremacist and national-socialist ideologies through covert armed confrontations. This recent operation has significantly weakened the group’s Spanish arm and its neo-Nazi aspirations.

The Investigative Court number 3 of Manresa in Barcelona, has played a pivotal role in revealing the extent of involvement of the arrested suspects. It has also shed light on their ties with Combat 18 members across Europe and South America.

Their activities spanned recruitment drives, merchandise sales for funding, attempts to obtain firearms, planning violent acts against individuals and properties, and spreading hate-filled far-right propaganda.

The group’s xenophobic rhetoric has targeted various races including the Jewish community, and the LGTBI community which was voiced online, in chat groups, and on a physical level.

Neo-Nazi Ideology

Combat 18, and groups of a similar vein, majorly adhere to violent extremism centred around race or ethnicity, also termed REMVE. This extremism, global and brutally violent, primarily aims to safeguard and champion the white race. Investigations continue, and more arrests may be imminent. The detainees are set to face the court in the days to come.