On Wednesday, June 19th, Spanish and international media outlets reported an urgent development in the investigation into the terrorist attack against Professor Alejo Vidal Quadras, the head of the International Committee in Search of Justice. The main suspect in the November shooting in Madrid has been arrested by Dutch police in the Netherlands.
According to Spanish authorities, the arrested suspect is a 37-year-old French citizen of Tunisian origin, identified as Mehrez Ayari. He was apprehended by Dutch officers based on an international arrest warrant issued by Spain’s National Court. This arrest marks the sixth apprehension made in connection with the investigations conducted by the Police Intelligence Commission.
Last November, Vidal Quadras, a 78-year-old former Catalan politician, narrowly escaped a fatal shooting near his home in Madrid. He was shot in the face and immediately hospitalized in stable condition. Vidal Quadras, known for his ties to the Iranian opposition, claimed the attack was linked to his stance against the Iranian regime.
The Spanish National Court took over the investigation, suspecting a terrorist motive behind the attack. According to reports from the Spanish newspaper El Mundo, Vidal Quadras had received death threats from agents of the Iranian regime weeks before the shooting. His close relationship with opponents of the Iranian government led investigators to focus their probe on the Iranian regime as the primary line of inquiry.
The arrest of Mehrez Ayari represents a significant breakthrough in the ongoing investigation into the attack on Vidal Quadras. Spanish authorities and the National Police have confirmed the apprehension, highlighting the collaborative efforts between Spanish and Dutch law enforcement agencies in pursuing justice for this high-profile case.
