A jihadist placed on probation in Spain and later killed three farmers is arrested in France

French authorities have arrested a fugitive jihadist on the run in Spain, in the southern city of Béziers. Allal El Mourabit, who intended to join the Islamic State, killed three farmers in Spain while on the run.

The Moroccan-born El Mourabit, now 55 years old, was arrested several times in Spain for cases related to Islamist radicalization and terrorism. His first encounter with the Police for these cases dates back to 2014 and in 2016 he was arrested again.

Following the 2016 arrest, he was sentenced to three years in prison, despite the prosecution's request for a 10-year sentence.

Upon his release from prison in 2019, he was arrested a third time while aboard a truck after receding into his jihadist intentions. Numerous electronic devices were found in the truck in which he was arrested and it was ascertained that the man was using it as a dwelling.

In Europe, Islamists have on several occasions used trucks or heavy vehicles to carry out mass ramming attacks.

The Moroccan, who showed clear signs of radicalization, was placed on probation by a Spanish court with an obligation to report regularly to the authorities. Despite his dangerous profile and his intention to join the terrorist struggle of the Islamic State, he was not kept in prison.

This was what allowed his escape. His tracking device stopped giving a signal on September 27, 2023, when El Mourabit disposed of it and went on the run.

It was then that he committed three cold-blooded murders. On the run, the Moroccan terrorist first murdered a farmer from the Spanish region of Navarra, Pedro Oyón Villahermosa, 68, who was stabbed several times. Shortly thereafter he murdered yet another Navarre farmer, 80 years old, and then stole his vehicle.

With the stolen car he drove to the Catalan region of Lérida, where he killed a third farmer with a pruning shears. He also stole his vehicle, after which his trail was lost.