Spain: Migrant Citing Qur’an and Shouting ‘Allahu Akbar’ Attacks Pedestrians and Confronts Police With Knife
- Mahamunimodi Team
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
A dramatic counter-terror operation erupted in Madrid after police were forced to taser and ultimately shoot an 18-year-old suspected jihadist who had reportedly stabbed three people on a busy street before retreating into his apartment. The young man, a Spanish national of Moroccan descent, is said to have shouted “Allahu Akbar” while confronting both civilians and officers, and even attempted to recite Quranic verses as police tried to subdue him.
A Chaotic Afternoon in Puente de Vallecas
The violence began early Saturday afternoon on Carlos Martín Álvarez Street in the Puente de Vallecas district, when several distressed residents alerted authorities to a knife attack. Responding officers found three injured individuals: a 40-year-old man with a 5-centimeter chest wound, an elderly woman with a cut on the back of her neck, and a third victim who had sustained only minor scratches. Though the injuries were relatively light, the randomness and brutality of the attacks immediately raised concerns.
Witnesses described the assailant as a young man of Arab appearance, and within minutes, specialized patrol units including GOR and GAC began sweeping the area. The search intensified as police learned more about the suspect: a Spanish-born youth of North African origin believed to be radicalized.
The Standoff Inside the Attacker’s Home
A few hours after the initial attacks, the suspect’s own brother contacted police in a panic, reporting that the teenager had locked himself inside their home on Peña de la Atalaya Street and had become violently aggressive while still armed with a knife.
Given the earlier street assault and the attacker’s reported cries of religious slogans, authorities treated the situation as a potential jihadist terrorist threat from the outset. A counter-terrorism subgroup of the UIP (Police Intervention Unit) surrounded the building with live operational weapons, while intelligence officers specializing in jihadist networks took over the investigation.
At around 4:30 p.m., UIP officers forced entry into the apartment. Inside, they found the young man chanting Quranic verses and behaving erratically, with indications he may have consumed drugs. When officers attempted to detain him, they fired two Taser shots—but to their surprise, the electric shocks had no effect.
The teenager then charged at the officers with a large knife, shouting religious slogans and threatening to kill them. With the immediate danger escalating, the officers responded with gunfire. Four shots were discharged; three struck the suspect—one piercing a lung, another injuring a kidney, and a third hitting his abdomen. The attacker was evacuated in serious condition to the Gregorio Marañón Hospital, where he remains under guard.
Support for the Officers and Ongoing Investigation
The police union JUPOL quickly issued a statement defending the actions of the officers, stressing that their response was “completely proportionate” given that they were confronting a “radicalized young man” who had already harmed several people and attempted to attack law enforcement.
The union also highlighted what it views as a disturbing rise in violent incidents against police, arguing that the erosion of police authority has emboldened criminals. It called for stricter laws to curb what it described as a growing sense of impunity.
Meanwhile, the Intelligence Brigade continues to treat the case as a likely jihadist-motivated attack. However, investigators are also exploring whether drug intoxication may have influenced the suspect’s behavior. For now, the incident remains a chilling example of how rapidly a local disturbance can escalate into a major counter-terror operation in the heart of a European capital.
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