Spanish Police officers have arrested a 22-year-old philosophy student in Murcia, accused of being the alleged perpetrator of the antisemitic attack that took place at the Rimmon Kosher restaurant-pizzeria in central Madrid, where an attempt was made to set fire to the premises while it was full of customers.
The police consider the incident to be the first act of violent pseudo-terrorism committed in Spain against the Jewish community.
The suspect, who has been remanded in custody on charges of antisemitic hate crime, attempted murder, and arson, is believed to have acted in retaliation for the Israeli invasion of Gaza, and the restaurant was not his original target.
His initial intention was to set fire to the main synagogue in Madrid, located on Calle Balmes, but upon finding it closed, he decided to attack the restaurant instead.
According to a statement at the time from the Jewish Community of Madrid, the incident occurred when an individual entered the kosher establishment, which serves food in accordance with Jewish dietary laws, “and doused the entrance of the premises with a liquid with a strong smell of petrol, intending to set it alight while it was busy with customers”.
The same statement noted that it was “the swift reaction of the restaurant staff” that prevented the fire, and “fortunately” there were no casualties. Police established that the suspect had used “firelighter tablets and cosmetic oils which he had previously purchased”.
The police investigation revealed that the suspect had taken numerous security measures to avoid being identified. He had travelled to Madrid by car using a ride-sharing platform and, after committing the offence, he disposed of the clothes he had been wearing during the attack, changing into different garments to avoid detection. He also discarded his mobile phone to prevent the police from tracing him.
However, thanks to security camera footage and forensic evidence gathered at the scene, the police were able to track him down. Investigators noted that the young man, described as a self-radicalised individual, had no prior criminal record. The authorities suspect that he had been radicalised online, where he consumed extremist material and antisemitic propaganda that led him to carry out the attack.
The arrest took place in Murcia, where the suspect was studying philosophy at university. Following his detention, officers searched his residence and seized various electronic devices, which are now being analysed as part of the ongoing investigation.
