​Spain maintains counter-terrorism alert at level 4 and bolsters this with additional measures

Moncloa Palace, Madrid

At the press briefing following the meeting with the President of the Government, the Minister for Home Affairs explained that the members of the Terrorist Threat Assessment Board, which was called following the attacks in Catalonia, unanimously proposed, and this decision has now been ratified, "to maintain the activation of the terrorist attack threat at level 4 (high risk) - with 5 being the maximum level - and to reinforce the current level with a series of additional measures focused on centring the efforts of the State law enforcement agencies on four specific areas within the scope of this level 4".

The Minister for Home Affairs specified that, according to the experts present at the meeting, the conditions for decreeing level 5 status have not been met, as this is reserved for the situation of an imminent attack.

Additional reinforcements

Juan Ignacio Zoido pointed out that, first of all, the security forces will be reinforced in locations and events where there is a large gathering of people, with particular emphasis on tourist areas. Secondly, preventive measures will be stepped up at potential targets of terrorist attacks. Thirdly, rapid action security units will be reinforced in the event of a hypothetical attack, and lastly, collaboration with local police forces is encouraged with the aim of incorporating, always within the scope of their powers, the capabilities of these forces to implement the measures contained in the Counter-Terrorism Prevention and Protection Plan.

Citizen collaboration

Juan Ignacio Zoido insisted on the importance of citizen collaboration in providing information on possible situations of radicalisation and recalled that the Ministry of Home Affairs has set up four channels of communication to report possible situations of radicalisation anonymously and in a secure fashion: the web page and electronic mail address of Stop Radicalismos, the hotline number 900 822 066 and the AlertCops app. "These systems are enabling a great deal of information to be provided which has undoubtedly led to the arrest of radicals on many occasions, followed by their imprisonment as a result of their participation in terrorist acts which, although not perpetrated were at a preliminary or preparatory stage of execution", pointed out the minister.

European Victims of Terrorism Charter

Juan Ignacio Zoido considers it important to guarantee continued assistance for victims beyond the merely initial post-attack stage, and believes that it is necessary to provide them, from the outset, with the appropriate information on the rights, resources and capabilities of the Spanish system to care for victims of terrorism.

In this regard, the Minister for Home Affairs reiterated "the need, already conveyed by the Government of Spain to the European Union, to create a European Victims of Terrorism Charter, something that is particularly useful, as in the sad case of Barcelona, where there are many victims of different nationalities, whereby they should all receive the same treatment and be entitled to the same rights and level of protection".

Non official translation