Judge Pedraz prosecutes the two Spaniards repatriated from Syria with their children for integration into Daesh

The judge of the National CourtSantiago Pedraz has prosecuted for the crime of integration into the terrorist organization Daesh the two women who were repatriated a year ago from Syria, where they had been transferred to a detention camp with their children. Both were arrested on arrival at Torrejón de Ardoz airport and the nine minors were left in the care of social services.

The investigating magistrate explains that Yolanda Martínez Cobos and Luna Fernández Grande, who are still in pre-trial detention, participated in Spain in activities in favour of the jihadist organisation, prior to their voluntary displacement to the Syrian-Iraqi conflict zone with their husbands, "accepting the same fate as them once the pseudo-caliphate was proclaimed in June 2014 by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and with full will to maintain their integration into the aforementioned organisation terrorist."

Pedraz points out that the two defendants had "a prominent role" during their stay in Spain within the group of women of the members of the dismantled Al-Andalus Brigade, maintaining contacts with other women who served "to introduce the converts into a rigorist vision of Islam."

The judge adds that both later moved to the conflict zone with their husbands, "sharing and accepting the same fate as them, with the full will to be part of the organization and the purpose of putting at their disposal all their capacity in the functions that the organization itself assigned to them."

The investigation, it continues, has revealed that the two women "always showed their willingness" to be members of Daesh and that "they only requested to be repatriated to Spain after the siege and fall of the Syrian city of Baghuz" and because of the living conditions of the camp in which they had been held.

The magistrate recalls that the case contains a video from 2019 in which both reveal their links with Daesh. In him, Luna Fernandez says: "I am a Muslim and I am not going to deny my religion and as many countries make their laws, Allah has made a law and He knows, we do not know". The words, the judge says, reflect "the internalization of a radical and extremist vision of Islam, where Sharia or Islamic law prevails over the legislation of countries."

In the same video, Yolanda Martinez says: "I arrived without knowing it. But I was very happy. We were given a house and my husband a job at the ISIS courthouse, running errands. We finally had a stable economic situation." According to the judge, this is an indication of his membership in the organization, "since only its members were given a house and given a job in the administration" of the territory controlled by Daesh.

The resolution also includes the indoctrination work carried out by the investigated women with their children and other minors in their care in favor of DAESH.

The order reflects the doctrine of the Supreme Court in relation to membership in a terrorist organization, which does not necessarily require participation in violent acts. The offence is also committed when other functions are performed other than "facilitating" the activities of the terrorist organization.