Update on the machete attack in two Spanish churches

• On Wednesday, a man attacked a sacristan and a priest with a machete in two churches in Algeciras, in southern Spain.

  The sexton died.

• The Spanish authorities have opened an investigation for "terrorism" following this double attack, the alleged perpetrator of which has been arrested.

• City residents observe Thursday as a day of mourning and were expected to gather at noon to condemn the attack.

Spain is bereaved by a double knife attack in two churches in the south of the country.

takes stock for you of this drama between the course of events, the victims and the identity of the assailant.

What happened ?

A sacristan was killed and a priest seriously injured in a machete attack Wednesday evening in two churches in Algeciras (southern Spain), which led to the opening of an investigation for “terrorism”, announced the authorities.

"At 7 p.m., a man entered the church of San Isidro in Algeciras and attacked the priest, armed with a machete, seriously injuring him," the Interior Ministry said in a message to the hurry.

“He then went to the Nuestra Señora de La Palma church where he attacked the sacristan, after causing various damage,” the ministry added.

The sexton then "succeeded in leaving the church but was caught outside by the assailant, who inflicted several mortal wounds on him", continued the ministry.

These two churches are located within walking distance of each other in this town at the southern tip of Spain.

According to a spokeswoman for the emergency services, the priest, Antonio Rodríguez, was injured "in the neck" and hospitalized while the sexton, Diego Valencia, died on the spot.

The alleged assailant was then "immobilized and arrested" by the police.

He put up “great resistance”, according to the Spanish press.

Who is the author of the attack?

The identity and nationality of the attacker have not been released by the authorities.

In a video released by the police, we see him from behind, black pants and a black and white gray hoodie.

Handcuffed, he walks in socks in a corridor, framed by two police officers.

However, according to the Spanish daily

the assailant is said to be Yasin K., a 25-year-old Moroccan who has no criminal record.

The Spanish newspaper

claims that Yasin K. arrived in Algeciras illegally this summer.

According to our Spanish colleagues, the young man was watched by the police because of his illegal status but also his "elusive" attitude.

The daily affirms that the suspect was hiding with “eagerness” in the presence of the police and had settled in a district “governed by drug trafficking, illegal immigration and sexual exploitation”.

What grounds are retained?

Contacted by AFP, the prosecution announced that an investigation had been opened for "presumed acts of terrorism".

It will be conducted by a judge from the National Audience, the court in charge of terrorism cases.

The Ministry of the Interior, for its part, insisted that it was "not possible at the moment to determine the nature of the attack".

According to the Spanish daily

, the attacker allegedly argued with the parishioners of the San Isidro church, telling them that they had to follow the Islamic religion.

What reactions followed the tragedy?

Condemnations came from all sides.

The head of the Spanish government, Pedro Sanchez, sent his “deepest condolences to the relatives of the sacristan who died in the terrible attack on Algeciras” while wishing a “speedy recovery” to those injured.

Juanma Moreno, president of the Andalusia region, described the attack as "terrible and unbearable" while the leader of the Popular Party, the main right-wing opposition party, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, said he was "dismayed". .

“These criminal acts tarnish the coexistence that our society has always enjoyed in Algeciras (…) These reprehensible acts have nothing to do with our religion or with the Muslim community”, denounced for its part the local Muslim community on the Facebook account of the Ishbilia Mosque in Seville, capital of the region. 

The town hall of Algeciras declared an official day of mourning this Thursday.

The inhabitants of the city have planned to gather at 12 p.m. in front of the church near which the sexton was killed in order to condemn this double attack.

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