Two Sisters Aged 19 and 21 Arrested in Spain for Allegedly Running Online ‘Jihad Academy’ from Their Home

Madrid, Spain – Two sisters, aged 19 and 21, have been detained by Spanish counterterrorism authorities for allegedly managing an online network that aimed to radicalize and indoctrinate young Muslim women. The arrests were carried out in Alcorcón, a municipality located just outside the capital city of Madrid.

According to Spain’s Ministry of the Interior, the pair operated from their shared residence, where they developed and maintained a digital platform disguised as a religious education hub for Muslim women. Authorities claim the site functioned as a virtual “jihadi academy,” carefully structured to influence and recruit individuals into extremist ideology.

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During the operation, police seized electronic devices, including computers, which are now undergoing forensic analysis by anti-terror experts. The investigation revealed that the sisters allegedly utilized advanced encryption methods to obscure their digital activities.

Officials said the women created a “sophisticated social engineering framework” where radical teachings were delivered under the pretense of religious study. “The goal of their platform was to specifically target and indoctrinate women into jihadist ideology,” the Ministry stated.

The investigation began last year when law enforcement agents flagged several social media accounts operated by the suspects. These accounts reportedly shared extremist content, some of which praised violent attacks and openly expressed allegiance to Daesh, also known as ISIS.

One of the sisters allegedly vowed to engage in violent jihad and publicly commended a brutal incident involving the assault of six women on the Barcelona Metro earlier this year.

Following their arrest, one sister remains in custody while the other has been released under judicial supervision. Authorities have confirmed that the investigation remains open, and further arrests have not been ruled out.

This case follows a similar counterterrorism operation earlier this year, where Spanish police apprehended seven individuals, including four suspected jihadist propagandists, in coordinated raids across Madrid, Toledo, and Pontevedra.

Spanish security agencies continue to monitor online platforms for signs of extremist recruitment as part of an ongoing effort to curb terrorism-related activities within the country.