A Look At Spain’s Anti-Terrorism Efforts
By Julian Hayda, Jerome McDonnellA Look At Spain’s Anti-Terrorism Efforts
By Julian Hayda, Jerome McDonnellAfter terrorists killed 13 people and injured 50 in and around Barcelona last week, Spanish authorities are re-evaluating their counterterrorism efforts. After a 2004 Al-Qaeda attack left nearly 200 dead in Madrid, Spain has had a reputation for going hard after Islamist terrorists.
While it seems that France, Germany, and the UK have been at the primary targets of terrorism in recent years, it’s uncertain whether the relative safety of Spain is thanks to effective policing or just chance. Observers are also wondering what role Spain’s former colony, Morocco, has in harboring ISIS sympathizers. The alleged attacker was born in Morocco, a traditionally Muslim country. To discuss, we’re joined by Krishnadev Calamur, a senior editor at The Atlantic. His recent piece is called “How Did Spain Avoid Terrorism Before Barcelona?”