Netherlands: Suspect in Shooting of Spanish Politician Arrested in Haarlem

Last November, Alejo Vidal-Quadras, of the conservative Vox party was shot and wounded in Madrid. It has been suspected that the shooting was carried out by the Netherlands-based Mocro Maffia (Moroccan Mafia). Now the suspected shooter, a French national of Tunisian origin, has been arrested by Dutch police in Haarlem. There are also suspicions, not verified, that the orders for the attack came from Iran.

Spanish media has identified the suspected shooter as Mehrez Ayari, 37.

The article below from yesterday’s RTL News (Netherlands) was translated by Fousesquawk.

 https://www.rtl.nl/nieuws/binnenland/artikel/5456332/spaanse-media-verdachte-aanslag-politicus-nederland-opgepakt

Link with drug criminals

Suspect in murder attempt on Spanish politician arrested in Netherlands

By RTL News-yesterday. Amended yesterday

Earlier this month, a suspect in the murder attempt on Spanish nationalist politician, Alejo Vidal-Quadras (78), was arrested in the Netherlands. According to Spanish media, it is the shooter, and the arrest points to the involvement of Dutch drug criminals. They possibly acted on behalf of Iran.

The news was announced today by the Spanish National Police. He is a 38-year-old French national of  Tunisian origin. This man reportedly carried out the murder attempt and was arrested June 6 in Haarlem, where he was hiding.

Politician Vidal-Quadras, founder of the radical Vox party, was shot in broad daylight on November 9, 2023 as he left his residence in Madrid. The shooter, who was sitting as a passenger on a motorcycle, was lying in wait for him. The victim was hit in the lower jaw but survived the attack.

Messages intercepted

The suspect was earlier identified based on images from security cameras in Madrid, the Spanish newspaper, El Pais, writes. On the day of the attack, he kept his helmet on, but on the previous days during reconnaissance, he was less careful. Spanish investigators also intercepted messages that the suspect sent to his brother and other acquaintances, in which he spoke of the attack.

Caption: The crime scene. After investigation, the street was reopened.

Later in the month, the victim accused Iran of giving the order for the murder. He provided no supporting evidence for this, but in the past, he has provided legal assistance as a lawyer to the Iranian political opposition. The Teheran regime allegedly has targeted him for that.  

Mocro-Maffia (Moroccan Mafia)

Based on police sources, El Pais reports that the arrested suspect has connections with the Dutch drug criminals from the so-called Mocro-Maffia. According to these sources, it is possible that the Dutch criminals acted on behalf of Iran.

The perpetrator was earlier sought out by others in the Catalan Independence Movement. This (is) because Vidal-Quadras’ party, Vox, is strongly opposed to the independence of Catalunya.

At the end of April, it was revealed that the attack was paid for and planned in the Netherlands. That came out of an investigation by Spanish police. On April 30, a woman with Dutch nationality was arrested. She reportedly paid for the murder attempt and was involved in the logistical preparation. The newspaper, El Pais, wrote then that the order and execution of the attack possibly came out of the Dutch drug world. 

Six suspects have now been arrested, two of whom in the Netherlands. The Spanish police are also still looking for an important player in the plot, a Moroccan with the nickname, Pacho, who left Spain the day before the attack.