Join on WhatsApp
Join on Telegram
Rabat – The trial of Moroccan national Yassine Kanjaa, accused of carrying out a deadly machete attack in two churches in southern Spain, began today in Madrid.
The case, which shocked the country in January 2023, is being heard before Spain’s National Court, the country’s top criminal jurisdiction for terrorism cases.
According to prosecutors, on January 25, 2023, Kanjaa armed himself with a “large machete” and first attacked a 20-year-old student in the street. He then entered San Isidro Church during evening mass, where he seriously injured a priest, striking him in the neck.
Shortly after, he moved to a second church, where he chased down and killed the sacristan, inflicting fatal blows to the head and neck.
Kanjaa then attempted to enter a third church but found its doors locked before being apprehended by police moments later.
The prosecutor’s office is seeking a 50-year prison sentence, charging Kanjaa with one count of terrorist murder and two counts of attempted terrorist murder.
The indictment asserts that in the months leading up to the attack, the accused underwent a process of radicalization, adopting “the most extreme Islamic theories” that advocate violence against other religions.
Although psychological assessments found psychotic symptoms and a “probable schizophrenia,” the prosecution concluded that his mental illness did not completely impair his understanding of his actions.
Kanjaa, who had no prior criminal record, entered Spain irregularly and was reportedly under an expulsion order at the time of the attack.
The trial, which will continue through Wednesday, began with testimony from witnesses on Monday.
Police officers and forensic experts are expected to testify on Tuesday, followed by the defendant’s own appearance before the court on the final day.
The attacks in Algeciras, in Spain’s Andalusia region, sparked widespread outrage and renewed debate over radicalization and immigration controls in Europe.
