The Spanish National Court takes over the investigation
The Spanish National Court has taken responsibility for investigating the attack on the Màgic in Badalona, which took place on Holy Wednesday, as an act of terrorism. This movement occurs after the Investigative Court number 4 of Badalona transferred the case to the National Court, supported by a favorable report from the prosecutor of this special court, Raquel de Miguel Morante.
The facts and life of Hamza Warris
Investigations are now focused on clarifying the facts and reconstructing the life of Hamza Warris, who arrived in Catalonia less than three months before the attack. Warris, originally from Pakistan, claimed to have carried out the attack in revenge for Israel’s attacks on Hamas in the Gaza Strip, which he had witnessed on television.
Attack details
The attack occurred when Warris, along with other Pakistani compatriots, went to the Màgic shopping center with an axe. Security cameras captured him in front of the McDonald’s restaurant for more than twenty minutes before entering with a Palestinian scarf around his neck and beginning to bang on the windows of the establishment.
Despite the presence of several people, including a group of children, Warris continued the attack until he was subdued by a Mossos d’Esquadra agent and a martial arts expert who were at the scene.
Motivations and background
Following his arrest, Warris explained that he carried out the attack as revenge for the Israel Defense Forces’ attacks on Gaza. The authorities found information related to the jihadist movement on his mobile terminal, suggesting possible connections with the Pakistani Taliban Movement (TTP), an ally of Al Qaeda and linked to Taliban extremism in Afghanistan.
Conclusion of the Prosecutor’s Office of the National Court
The Prosecutor’s Office of the National Court supports the thesis of the Mossos d’Esquadra and the Badalona court, considering that the attack could be a lone wolf terrorist act. Therefore, it requests that the central court of Madrid be the one to carry out the investigation of the case.
