The PSOE maintains, following the Congress's investigation into the jihadist attacks of August 2017 in Catalonia, that the Mossos d'Esquadra acted with "effectiveness" in the exercise of their counter-terrorism responsibilities under the Government of Carles Puigdemont, both in the prior actions and in the subsequent management of the attacks. At the same time, it assumes that, after that "tragic experience," advances were made in the "handling of the information chain" and defends that, almost a decade later, it is essential to continue reinforcing that the relationship between the Security Forces and the National Intelligence Center (CNI) is based on "mutual loyalty."
These considerations are included in the proposed conclusions registered by the Socialist Group in the investigation commission, once the appearance phase has concluded. Said document, along with those from the rest of the parties, will be submitted to a vote in the commission itself next week.
In its conclusions, the PSOE does not find any failures in the prevention of the attacks, which caused 16 deaths and more than 250 injuries, and whose main perpetrator, the then imam of Ripoll (Girona) Abdelbaki Es Satty, had maintained contacts with the CNI.
MORE POLICE AND DATA COORDINATION
The socialists emphasize the "responsibility" with which the Mossos acted and focus on the "substantial improvements" that, in their opinion, have been adopted in the Ministry of the Interior after the attacks, calling for continued deepening of them.
Among these improvements, they cite the reinforcement of coordination between the different police forces, especially in the state bodies for threat assessment and in the Center for Intelligence against Terrorism and Organized Crime (CITCO). They demand that the presence of all Security Forces with responsibilities in the fight against terrorism continue to be guaranteed and that "in all matters concerning the real-time dumping of information into databases" be ensured.
Likewise, they insist that the relationship between the police forces and the CNI "continue to be based on the principle of mutual loyalty" and emphasize that prevention against "violent extremism" requires "permanent updating," "loyal institutional cooperation," fully operational formal information channels, and a preventive policy focused on behaviors, processes, and objective signs of radicalization, avoiding the stigmatization of religious communities or social groups and fostering collaboration with all of them.
In this regard, they stress the need to "guarantee the full interoperability of police and intelligence databases, respecting applicable legal limits" and to "formalize international alert channels for people or environments at risk."
Another of the PSOE's proposals points to the need to "advance in greater coordination between the bodies of penitentiary institutions throughout the State and the security forces and bodies regarding individuals susceptible to radicalization."
Similarly, they call for consolidating prevention programs in the educational, penitentiary, local, and community spheres, expanding training for frontline professionals in early detection, combating extremist propaganda on the Internet, and promoting a democratic culture of prevention that "involves affected communities as part of the solution and not as objects of collective suspicion."
REFORM OF THE LAW ON VICTIMS OF TERRORISM
Regarding support for victims, the socialists maintain that the Administration has achieved "a high degree of execution in the recognition and payment of compensation aid," although they acknowledge that the coexistence of different sources of information (judicial, health, police) has generated "practical difficulties" in the exhaustive identification of all of them, for which they propose to "improve coordination and registration systems."
"There is a collaborative relationship between administrations, although it is considered advisable to move towards greater coordination, data interoperability, and homogenization of procedures for the benefit of victims," states the PSOE, which proposes a reform of the Law on Victims of Terrorism in order to incorporate a "broader, more inclusive, and material definition of a victim of terrorism, expanding their recognition, assistance, and protection."
Lastly, in the area of emergencies, the socialist document remarks on the convenience of reviewing and, where appropriate, updating the protocols of action for large emergencies linked to the 112 telephone.