Spain’s Supreme Court has upheld the conviction of Casiano, a Spanish-Moroccan who fought with al-Qaeda’s Syrian affiliate Jabhat al-Nusra, highlighting Turkey’s role as both a gateway and safe haven for European jihadists.
THE NORDIC MONITOR-- Casiano left Spain in 2010, entered Syria in 2014, and fought until at least late 2021. Using the alias “Candido,” he created online propaganda accounts from Istanbul and Turkish border towns, promoting jihadist narratives and sharing images of himself in combat, armed with Kalashnikovs, and standing over corpses of Syrian soldiers. He also reached out to fellow Spaniards, urging them to join jihadist groups.
Spanish investigators revealed that Casiano operated extensively from Turkey, relying on false identities. He appeared before a court in Antakya under the name Desiderio but was released in 2022 with restrictions that he later evaded. He eventually returned to Europe and was arrested under a European warrant.
The Supreme Court rejected his defense that Turkish proceedings should bar prosecution in Spain, ruling there was no credible evidence of a final Turkish conviction. Judges pointed to Ankara’s inconsistent records and lack of judicial cooperation.