Brazilian jihadist brothers convicted for terrorist training and preparation for attack in Malaga province

The High Court has sentenced both defendants to two and a half years in prison after they pleaded guilty to the crimes of terrorist self-training

Irene Quirante

Thursday, 27 March 2025, 16:14

The High Court of Spain has convicted two Brazilian jihadist brothers for the crimes of terrorist self-training and self-radicalisation. The pair were arrested by the Guardia Civil in Estepona in November 2023, in an operation with the collaboration of the FBI. According to the case, they were ready for martyrdom and prepared to "take action" following "the call of Daesh (the Islamic State)". Both possessed and distributed manuals for making explosives, poisoning or preparing suicide attacks.

The defence reached an agreement with the prosecution, according to which the sentence of the two brothers, 33 and 35, was considerably reduced to two and a half years, plus five years of probation and an order to pay the costs of the proceedings. The decision came after the brothers pleaded guilty.

Their arrest in 2023 was granted following the discovery of a farewell letter, which the older brother had sent to a woman, stating that he would soon die as a martyr in a terrorist attack. His objective was that only then would he enter paradise.

During the operation, the Guardia Civil received information from counterpart intelligence services, which said that the two brothers had already been on their radar for involvement with radical Islamist movements. Upon analysing the pair's sources, the officers found "a veritable library of doctrinal content on martyrdom". They also possessed a huge amount of files - nearly 27,000 - on indoctrination and technical and ideological training.

The two brothers consumed and distributed Islamic State propaganda materials through their internet profiles and encrypted platforms. Among these documents were manuals for explosives and poisoning, cyber security, hacking, justifying suicide and reports on how to kill using knives and other weapons, illustrated with photographs.

Radicalised in prison

According to the investigation, the older brother became radicalised in 2018, some three years after he converted to Islam. Around that time, the man was extradited to Brazil from Portugal for his alleged involvement in a crime in his home country and was imprisoned, where he remained until his trial. His imprisonment was interpreted by him as "a form of punishment for his religion".

During this period, in addition to reaffirming his ideology, he made contact with prisoners who were linked to terrorist offences. By the time he left prison, he was determined to take action, which included dying violently for Daesh. Once released, he began collecting material with recommendations on how to move to Syria without arousing suspicion, as well as taking interest in paramilitary training courses, improvised explosive devices and firearms training.

His brother began by stockpiling propaganda material as a form of religious legitimisation. He started creating groups where he was the only member, with the intention of resolving any doubts that might arise in the process of terrorist self-empowerment. According to the investigation, this was one of the security measures that the accused adopted in order to go unnoticed by police forces and intelligence services. He then moved on to the third phase, considered the final stage: physical training and the use of warfare techniques to carry out a violent action as a symbol of martyrdom.

Both brothers trained daily at a gym in Estepona to increase their strength and resistance. The military simulation sport airsoft also helped them train in combat techniques, such as taking up positions in urban environments.

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