Iran has been linked to the assassination attack on a Spanish politician who was shot in the face in Madrid on Thursday.
The Spanish right-wing politician Alejandro Vidal-Quadras is recovering in hospital today after the shooting in broad daylight in a central street in the Spanish capital.
The police have not ruled out any hypotheses, including a possible connection with the former European MP’s ties to the Iranian opposition.
A police source familiar with the investigation told the AP there was no evidence of the Iranian connection, but confirmed that Vidal-Quadras himself raised the suspicion from his hospital bed and that investigators are looking into the matter.
One of the possible motives is an Iranian connection to the attack.
Vidal-Quadras is pictured here in 2009
In a sign that police are expanding the investigation into the Iranian angle, another official announced that a provincial brigade dealing with cases of terrorism and extremism had joined the investigation late Thursday.
The investigation was previously led by officers who specialized in murder cases. The sources spoke on condition of anonymity to protect the confidentiality of the investigation, AP reported.
Vidal-Quadras (78) was attacked near his home in the Spanish capital at around 1.30pm and was conscious when emergency workers took him to hospital.
There were no immediate arrests and police reviewed surveillance footage and witness statements to identify the gunman, who was wearing a black helmet. The suspect fired one shot before fleeing on a motorcycle driven by an accomplice.
A charred motorcycle found later in the day in a suburb on the outskirts of Madrid is being investigated, one of the officials said.
Four hours after the shooting, the Gregorio Marañón Hospital in Madrid said the shot had broken Vidal Quadra’s jaw and he would need surgery.
The politician’s condition was said to be stable and his life was not in danger.
Vidal-Quadras was a member of Spain’s conservative Popular Party, a regional leader in Catalonia and a member of the European Parliament before leaving parliament after 30 years when he fell out with then-Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy.
After his split, he helped found the right-wing extremist Vox party.
He left Vox shortly after a failed attempt to win a seat in the European Parliament in 2014.
As part of his political career, Vidal-Quadras joined the Iranian opposition in exile for decades, an involvement that Tehran noticed.
In January, Iran’s foreign ministry announced it had imposed sanctions on Vidal-Quadras and others linked to the banned opposition group Mujahedeen-e-Khalq, accusing them of “supporting terrorism and terrorist groups.”
The group known as MEK began as a Marxist organization that opposed the rule of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. It claimed and was suspected of carrying out a series of attacks on US officials in Iran in the 1970s, which the group now denies.
The MEK operates under various names, including the National Council of Resistance of Iran and the People’s Mujahideen Organization of Iran.
During a conference organized by the NCRI in Brussels in mid-September, Vidal-Quadras criticized European Union officials and leaders for not being strong enough in their opposition to Iran and in their support for the exiled opposition .
The MEK has also paid former US and European officials to speak at its summits in the past.
Iranian state media previously claimed that Vidal-Quadras’ Vox party received MEK funding, citing reports from Spanish daily El País.
It described the payments as “terror money”.
“The Iranian Resistance considers the religious fascism that rules Iran to be the first defendant in this case, as Prof. Vidal-Quadras has devoted an important part of his life to fighting against it,” MEK leader Maryam Rajavi told X, formerly Twitter, wrote.
Reactions to the unusual shooting on the street in broad daylight have been numerous, with many politicians and commentators expressing surprise.
“Thank God, it looks like Alejandro Vidal-Quadras is out of danger,” said Vox president Santiago Abascal.
Party leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo condemned the shooting and wished Vidal-Quadra’s recovery. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez also expressed his concern.
“All my warmth goes out to him and his family at this moment,” Sánchez said on X.
Maryam Rajavi, president-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), also released a statement condemning the “terrorist crime”.
A civil protection spokesman said Vidal-Quadras remained conscious and was taken to the nearby Gregorio Marañón Hospital.
Police work at the site where Alejo Vidal-Quadras, former leader of the Spanish People’s Party in the Catalonia region, was shot in the face on November 9 in Madrid, Spain.
“I strongly condemn this terrorist crime, wish Prof. Vidal a speedy recovery and express my deep solidarity with my family,” she said on X.
“I ask that the perpetrators of this terrorist crime be prosecuted and punished. “The Iranian Resistance considers the religious fascism that rules Iran to be the first defendant in this case, since Prof. Vidal Quadras devoted an important part of his life to fighting against it.”
Vidal-Quadras was vice president of the European Parliament and was very interested in foreign policy. He participated in legislative delegations to the former Soviet republics of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan.
For several years he has been no longer involved in politics, instead taking up a public role as a media commentator and columnist.
Source link
Elizabeth Cabrera is an author and journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a talent for staying up-to-date on the latest news and trends, Elizabeth is dedicated to delivering informative and engaging articles that keep readers informed on the latest developments.
