‘Allahu Akbar’ and an empty backpack! Dominican man sparks panic at Barcelona airport

Barcelona, Spain.– A 23-year-old Dominican citizen was arrested after causing moments of panic at Terminal 2 of Barcelona-El Prat airport, after leaving a backpack in the boarding area while shouting “Allahu Akbar,” which led dozens of passengers to run in terror believing it was a bomb threat.

The incident occurred around 7:30 p.m. on July 21st, in the vicinity of boarding gate U31. The travelers’ reaction was immediate, creating scenes of chaos and a stampede, while some people even forced doors open to exit the area for fear of an explosion.

Civil Guard agents, with the support of an airport employee, managed to subdue and arrest the suspect. Subsequently, explosive ordnance disposal specialists (TEDAX) inspected the abandoned backpack and confirmed that it did not contain any explosive device.

Following the inspection, airport operations continued as normal, although several people had to be attended to by medical services due to anxiety attacks. No serious injuries were reported.

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According to the authorities, the detainee showed incoherent behavior during the police intervention, so it is not ruled out that he suffers from some psychiatric disorder, a situation that will be evaluated as part of the investigation.

So far, the investigations have not found evidence that the young man has links to terrorist organizations or radicalization processes. Spanish authorities are keeping the investigation open to fully clarify the circumstances of the event.