A British expat family is torn apart after their “lively” and “model” daughter is accused of taking part in a terrorist attack in Spain.
At first glance, Sasha Brooks is a typical young woman who enjoys life in the sun and regularly posts selfies with her friends on Instagram while going out in Marbella and Granada.
During her holidays in Ibiza, Mallorca and Australia, she wears stylish clothes and is often the “life and soul of the party”.
But her world came crashing down last week when she was arrested with her Spanish boyfriend Naraya Gomez at a home they shared in the picturesque Granada town of Lanjaron, just an hour inland from the Costa del Sol.
They were arrested in Madrid before being brought to court on Friday where they were accused of complicity in the assassination attack on far-right politician Alejo Vidal-Quadras.
British expat Sasha Brooks’ family has been torn apart after her “vibrant” and “model-like” daughter (pictured) was accused of taking part in a terror attack in Spain
The 78-year-old was shot in the face by a killer on a motorcycle in front of his home in Madrid’s chic Salamanca district, home to footballers Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem, among others.
After the arrest of Sasha and Naraya on Monday night, Lanjaron, a small town of just 3,000 inhabitants, was caught up in a media frenzy.
A neighbor named Maria told the Olive Press: “It was like a movie: the police with masks over their faces were here for three days, taking boxes and suitcases from the house.”
After her court appearance, her mother said Sasha was “exhausted”. She added that she had gone through an “ordeal” and called the episode “stressful” and “fraught”.
“I had to come to Madrid to help her as best I could,” said Brooks, who runs an anti-fraud consulting firm, Pension Life, where her daughter and friend Naraya worked.
“There’s quite a lot going on and it’s now up to the judge to decide whether he wants to press charges or not.”
While her mother later insisted that no charges were brought against her, her passport was confiscated after she was released on bail.
She must appear in court every 15 days and is not allowed to leave Spain while the investigation is ongoing.
Several Spanish newspapers reported that Sasha and Naraya are still being investigated in connection with the attempted murder.
Naraya was denied bail and sent to jail.
Sasha Brooks’ world came crashing down last week when she was arrested with her Spanish boyfriend Naraya Gomez. She was accused of being involved in the assassination attack on right-wing extremist politician Alejo Vidal-Quadras.
After appearing in court, her mother said Sasha (pictured) was “exhausted”. She added that she had gone through an “ordeal” and called the episode “stressful” and “fraught”.
He is said to have recently converted to Islam, particularly the Shiite sect favored by Iran’s ayatollahs.
Vidal-Quadras is convinced that the Middle Eastern country is the mastermind of the attack after the ruling elite labeled him a “terrorist” last October for his years of harsh criticism of the country.
Naraya, 26, is accused of hiring the hitman, a wanted Frenchman of Tunisian descent, before traveling with him to a hotel in Madrid on the eve of the attack.
According to police, Gomez followed the Frenchman in his car on the day of the shooting.
After the crime, the killer, who is also wanted for a murder in Paris, parked his motorcycle and set it on fire before being picked up by Gomez in his car to escape.
According to police, Naraya’s blue rental car was seen on video surveillance cameras tracking Vidal-Quadras’ movements in Madrid’s Salamanca barrio in the weeks before the attack.
The same car was found illegally in Lanjaron this week, leading to the couple’s arrest.
Naraya’s father, Sirio Gomez, a yoga master who lives in a New Age commune just outside Lanjarón, insisted the allegations were completely false.
He told the Olive Press: “My son is completely innocent, he is not a terrorist.” “He is a good boy, vegetarian, spiritual and pacifist.”
He said he last spoke to Naraya a few months ago and was excited to introduce his girlfriend, Sasha.
He added: “He had nothing to do with politics, he worked for Sasha’s mother’s company.”
“He never converted to Islam, that is a lie, he is not a Muslim.” He has a Judeo-Christian faith and an affinity with Israel!’
Alejo Vidal-Quadras killed himself after being shot in the face in broad daylight on a central street in the Spanish capital on 9 November.
The two were arrested this morning in the town of Lanjaron, the gateway to the Alpujarras region, after another man was arrested in Fuengirola, Spain.
Sirio lives in the so-called municipality of Benificio, just 20 minutes by car from Lanjaron.
It is known to locals as an “alternative community” where people come and go from all over Europe.
Madeleine McCann suspects that Christian Brueckner spent a lot of time there, buying and selling drugs and other illegal goods in the area.
The theory put forward by the police shocked expatriates and residents of Lanjarón.
A local Brit told Olive Press: “They were a wonderful couple, no one can believe it or understand it.” “There is no motivation for her to do something like that, Sasha comes from a good family.”
Sasha’s mother, Angie, is a pillar of the expat community.
Pension Life has a long history of helping victims of pension scams and pension scams across Europe, particularly UK victims in Spain, and also litigating the criminals.
The family owns several properties in Granada and even Madrid, making financial motivation unlikely.
Since then, Lanjaron has closed ranks, with locals and expatriates refusing to speak to the media.
But a local British expat told this newspaper: “Sasha is a popular figure and a beautiful woman who can be seen at fashion shows or in boutique hotels without taking part in terrorist attacks.”
‘Naraya grew up with his father in a hippie commune after his mother died in childbirth.
“His father still lives there and teaches yoga and repairs machines to make ends meet. “He has little money.”
She added that his alleged conversion to Islam was surprising.
“I know there was a lot of celebrating last summer. Naraya really enjoyed having fun. If he was converted and radicalized, it must have happened extremely quickly.
“He always dressed well, was very polite on the street and had a taste for the finer things in life, such as travel and luxury cars.”
The couple’s social media accounts show recent trips to places like London and Ibiza. In no time they see themselves sitting scantily clad on a yacht drinking champagne.
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.
The police are conducting their investigation “in secret”, but sources say they have not yet discovered the mastermind behind the attack.
The motorcycle used in the attack was traced to a 22-year-old Albanian expat who was allegedly paid to register the vehicle in his name.
He would not have known what the engine would be used for.
Meanwhile, the shooter remains at large.
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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.
