Spanish authorities have successfully dismantled a cell associated with the neo-Nazi group known as The Base, which has been designated as a terrorist organization by multiple countries, including the European Union, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. The operation, announced on Monday, marks a significant step in countering extremist groups that pose threats on a global scale.
The police investigation, which commenced earlier this year, revealed that the Spanish cell comprised members who were described as “highly radicalized.” According to police statements, these individuals had undergone training in paramilitary techniques and were preparing for violent actions to further their ideology of a so-called “race war.” Authorities indicated that the suspects had made clear their willingness to execute targeted attacks.
The leader of the cell maintained “direct contact” with Rinaldo Nazzaro, the founder of The Base, who recently called for violent actions aimed at destabilizing Western democratic institutions. Following intelligence gathering, Spanish police arrested three individuals last week, including the group’s leader, who is now facing charges related to membership in a terrorist organization, recruitment, indoctrination, and illegal possession of weapons.
During the raids conducted in the eastern province of Castellon, police seized a range of firearms, ammunition, and neo-Nazi paraphernalia. They also released a video documenting the operation, which showed officers handcuffing suspects and confiscating weapons and literature featuring Adolf Hitler.
The Base was founded in 2018 by Nazzaro as a network for radical right nationalists preparing for armed conflict. After establishing the group in the United States, he relocated to Saint Petersburg and acquired Russian citizenship, as reported by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington-based think tank. The group gained notoriety in 2020, when FBI agents arrested former Canadian Armed Forces reservist Patrik Jordan Mathews along with two other members for plotting a terror attack at a pro-gun rally in Virginia. Mathews was subsequently sentenced to nine years in prison in Maryland.
In 2022, The Base was officially added to the European Union’s terrorist list, which included sanctions such as travel bans and asset freezes. The Southern Poverty Law Center describes the organization as “an antisemitic, white nationalist network” that trains its members in survivalism and paramilitary skills. Furthermore, the SPLC notes that The Base aims to incite societal collapse to establish a white ethnostate from the resulting chaos.
The dismantling of this cell in Spain underscores the ongoing efforts by law enforcement to combat extremist ideologies and the transnational networks that facilitate them. It highlights the need for vigilance and cooperation among nations to address the rise of such dangerous groups.
