Spanish national police forces have detained a man in Vilanova i la Geltrú, in the province of Barcelona, as part of an ongoing anti-terrorism operation led by the Guardia Civil’s Special Central Units (Unidades Centrales Especiales, UCE), the force’s intelligence division.
The arrest took place on Tuesday 27th October 2026, and was supported by the Guardia Civil’s elite Rapid Action Group (Grupo de Acción Rápida, GAR). According to official sources, the operation remains under judicial secrecy and is being overseen by Spain’s National Court (Audiencia Nacional), which handles high-level criminal and terrorism cases.
The suspect has already been transferred to Madrid and did not pass through local detention facilities in Vilanova, sources confirmed. No further details about the individual or the investigation have been released due to the sealed nature of the proceedings.
Context of Recent Counter-Terrorism Activity
This operation follows another arrest last week, when the National Police detained two individuals in Barcelona and Tarragona on suspicion of jihadist radicalisation. Both were reportedly supporters of the so-called Islamic State (Daesh) and are accused of terrorist indoctrination and training.
Investigations indicated they had repeatedly accessed jihadist websites and consumed extremist content. The FBI had alerted Spanish authorities, leading the General Commissioner for Intelligence to identify the suspects.
Catalonia has remained a focal point for counter-terrorism efforts. In 2025, the region recorded the highest number of arrests related to jihadist radicalisation in Spain, accounting for nearly one-third of the national total. This marks the sixth consecutive year that Catalonia has led in such detentions.
Sources: ABC.
