The Court refuses to paralyze the expulsion of the alleged Salafist supported by the Parliament

The National Court has rejected the very precautionary measures proposed by Mohamed Said Badaoui, the activist on the radar of the National Police for his links with Salafism and who is subject to an expulsion order from Spain.

Thomas Osborne
Thomas Osborne
20 October 2022 Thursday 06:44
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The Court refuses to paralyze the expulsion of the alleged Salafist supported by the Parliament

The National Court has rejected the very precautionary measures proposed by Mohamed Said Badaoui, the activist on the radar of the National Police for his links with Salafism and who is subject to an expulsion order from Spain. Just yesterday, the Parliament of Catalonia took a position in favor of him to prevent him from leaving the country, understanding that it is "another case of political repression and Islamophobia by the Spanish state."

Badaoui has appealed the resolution of September 14, 2022, of the Secretary of State for Security, Rafael Pérez, who agrees to his expulsion from the national territory for participating in activities contrary to national security or that may harm Spain's relations with other countries, or be involved in activities contrary to public order.

The Contentious-Administrative Chamber refuses to suspend the expulsion because in assessing the interests in conflict, those of a general nature must prevail over the personal circumstances of the appellants.

In the resolution, the magistrates explain that the decision of the Ministry of the Interior is based on a previous complaint from the General Information Police Station that exposes the circumstances and significant facts that reveal the ideological radicalism of the appellant, current president of the Association in Defense of the Muslim Community (Adedcom).

This complaint highlights, among others, "the indoctrination in his community with the dissemination of radical pro-jihadist postulates, being one of the main referents in Spain of the most orthodox Salafism, which he preaches, with such an influence that, since his arrival there has been an increase in radicalism in the Tarragona region because of his speech”.

The Police report adds that Said Badaoui's actions have focused especially on the most vulnerable and manipulable groups, "paying special attention to minors, specifically unaccompanied minors, mainly of Moroccan origin, indoctrinating them in the most radical taking advantage of their situation of vulnerability, also having links with radical individuals related to terrorism, and carrying out practices that promote victimhood and Westernophobia.”

For all these reasons, the court concludes that, assessing the conflicting interests, it does not doubt that those of a general nature resulting from the appealed decision that considers a very serious infraction to have been committed and that it classifies as that of participating in activities contrary to security or that may harm Spain's relations with other countries. Faced with this, adds the court, the specific personal, labor and social circumstances invoked by the appellant cannot prevail.

The order recalls that the sentence that resolves the appeal will not lose its effectiveness despite the fact that the precautionary measure is not adopted, since if it is upheld and the expulsion has been executed, "no obstacle is noticed in the return to our country and, if appropriate, the reparation of the damages caused”.

Mohamed Said Badaoui is president of the Association in Defense of the Muslim Community (Adedcom) of Reus (Tarragona), where he has lived for more than three decades. An expulsion file was opened for him last August after it was found that he had "very radicalized" speeches. After learning of the opening of the file, Badaoui himself denounced the National Police at a press conference for accusing him of radicalization "without providing any evidence."

Yesterday, the Board of Spokespersons of the Parliament of Catalonia approved a statement in which it sympathized with Badaoui in "a case of political repression and Islamophobia by the Spanish State." The declaration was approved with the support of ERC, CUP, JxCat and En Comú Podem. According to the statement, read in plenary session of Parliament, it is an "irregular expulsion procedure", in which he has been accused "without evidence of alleged religious extremism" and "without guarantees for his defense".

"The alleged reasons for issuing the expulsion order are unfounded and do not respond to specific facts or are proven with solvency", denounces the Parliament, which highlights that the detainee, "born in Morocco, has been a resident of Reus for decades".