Three suspected members of neo-Nazi terror group arrested by Spanish police

Authorities in Spain have apprehended three individuals suspected of belonging to a Neo-Nazi terrorist organisation banned by the United Kingdom. Armed units carried out multiple operations in Castellon, a city along Spain's eastern shoreline, successfully dismantling the group.

The organisation, known as The Base, aims to violently overthrow Western governments and establish white ethno-states. It was officially outlawed in 2021 under the directive of former UK Home Secretary Dame Priti Patel. The group's founder, Rinaldo Nazzaro, is an American ex-defense contractor who served with US special forces in the Middle East. Nazzaro, 52, has been residing in Russia for the past eight years and recently urged members to assassinate key military and political figures in Ukraine.

During the raids, officers discovered an extensive weapons cache including submachine guns, handguns, ammunition, silencers, knives, machetes, and a spear. Additional items seized included body armor, stacks of 50 bills, a drone, rope, handcuffs, helmets, and camouflage clothing. Books translated into Spanish and Catalan, including Hitlers Mein Kampf, and a banner with offensive slogans targeting Israel were also found. Among the items was a T-shirt displaying Ted Kaczynski, the Unabomber, with a slogan associated with white supremacist culture online.

Bodycam footage from the operations shows officers handcuffing the suspects, displaying seized weapons, and removing boxes of evidence from the premises.

The three suspects, whose ages and nationalities remain undisclosed, were described as highly radicalized and prepared to execute attacks for the organisation. A spokesperson for Spains national police stated: They had conducted paramilitary-style training and in recent months had escalated their radical rhetoric, openly preparing for selective attacks. The alleged Spanish cell leader maintained direct communication with the founder of The Base, who recently called for the coordination of international cells and targeted assaults aimed at undermining Western democratic systems.

The group reportedly used social media to recruit followers and promote their ideology. Spanish authorities are investigating the trio on charges of terrorist organisation membership, indoctrination and training for terrorist purposes, and illegal weapons possession.

Founded in 2018, The Base has seen members arrested in countries including the US, the Netherlands, Italy, and Ukraine. According to research by The George Washington University, each cell operates independently to avoid detection by law enforcement and intelligence agencies. Despite ongoing FBI investigations, no charges have been filed against Nazzaro.

Author: Sophia Brooks