A sexton was killed and a priest seriously injured in a machete attack on Wednesday evening in two churches in Algeciras (southern Spain), which led to the opening of an investigation for “terrorism”authorities said.
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“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”said the Ministry of the Interior in a message to the press.
“He then went to the Nuestra Señora de La Palma church where he attacked the sexton, after causing various damages”, the ministry added. The sexton then “Managed to get out of the church but was caught outside by the assailant, who inflicted several fatal injuries on him”the ministry continued, adding that the assailant had been “immobilized and arrested” by the police.
These two churches are located within walking distance of each other in this town at the southern tip of Spain.
The condolences of the Spanish Prime Minister
On Twitter, the head of the Spanish government, socialist Pedro Sanchez, “sent (his) most sincere condolences to the relatives of the sacristan who died during the terrible attack on Algeciras” and desired “a speedy recovery to the injured”.
The police, who had initially mentioned a toll of several wounded, however now indicate that only the priest was injured in the attack. According to a spokeswoman for the emergency services, the priest was injured ” in the neck “ and hospitalized while the sexton died on the spot.
The sacristan killed was called Diego Valencia and the priest Antonio Rodríguez, according to the mayor of Algeciras.
The nature of the attack undetermined
Contacted by AFP, the prosecution announced that an investigation had been opened for “alleged acts of terrorism”. It will be conducted by a judge from the National Audience, the court in charge of terrorism cases.
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The Ministry of the Interior insisted on emphasizing that it was not “it is not possible at the moment to determine the nature 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.
The mayor of Algeciras declared a day of mourning and invited residents to gather in a sign of “rejection” of this attack this Thursday, January 26 at noon in front of the church near which the sexton was killed.
Wave of condemnations
Condemnations came from all sides, Juanma Morenopresident of the Andalusia region, describing this attack as “terrible and unbearable” while the leader of the Popular Party, the main formation of the right-wing opposition, Alberto Nunez Feijoosaid to himself “dismayed”.
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“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”for his part denounced the local Muslim community on Facebook account of the Ishbilia Mosque in Seville, capital of the region.
The last attacks perpetrated in Spain date back to August 2017, when two attacks by a jihadist cell left 16 dead and 140 injured on the avenue des Ramblas in Barcelona and in the seaside resort of Cambrils. They had been claimed by the Islamic State organization.
