Mar 13, 2019
Two individuals involved in a violent attack on the North Korean embassy in Madrid have reportedly been linked by Spanish authorities to the CIA.
According to the Spanish newspaper El Pais, which first reported the findings of Madrid investigators, "two of the 10 assailants who broke into the embassy and interrogated diplomatic staff have been identified and have connections to the U.S. intelligence agency."
"Sources believe that the goal of the attack on the North Korean embassy was to get information on Kim Hyok Chol, the former North Korean ambassador to Spain," El Pais reported on Wednesday.
The CIA has denied involvement in the attack. But, Spanish government sources told El Pais that the agency's story was "unconvincing."
The attack on the North Korean embassy occurred on Feb. 22, just days before U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un met for a summit in Hanoi.
According to reporting from the BBC, ten masked men broke into the embassy in the middle of the afternoon and took at least eight staffers hostage. One woman was eventually able to climb out of a second-story window and contact Spanish police.
None of the individuals believed to have been involved in the attack have been apprehended.
El Pais reported that Spanish investigators have ruled out the possibility that the attack was carried out by "common criminals."
"The operation was perfectly planned as if it were carried out by a military cell,'"El Pais reported, citing sources close to the ongoing investigation. "The assailants knew what they were looking for, taking only computers and mobile phones."
Join Us: News for people demanding a better world
Common Dreams is powered by optimists who believe in the power of informed and engaged citizens to ignite and enact change to make the world a better place. We're hundreds of thousands strong, but every single supporter makes the difference. Your contribution supports this bold media model—free, independent, and dedicated to reporting the facts every day. Stand with us in the fight for economic equality, social justice, human rights, and a more sustainable future. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover the issues the corporate media never will. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Two individuals involved in a violent attack on the North Korean embassy in Madrid have reportedly been linked by Spanish authorities to the CIA.
According to the Spanish newspaper El Pais, which first reported the findings of Madrid investigators, "two of the 10 assailants who broke into the embassy and interrogated diplomatic staff have been identified and have connections to the U.S. intelligence agency."
"Sources believe that the goal of the attack on the North Korean embassy was to get information on Kim Hyok Chol, the former North Korean ambassador to Spain," El Pais reported on Wednesday.
The CIA has denied involvement in the attack. But, Spanish government sources told El Pais that the agency's story was "unconvincing."
The attack on the North Korean embassy occurred on Feb. 22, just days before U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un met for a summit in Hanoi.
According to reporting from the BBC, ten masked men broke into the embassy in the middle of the afternoon and took at least eight staffers hostage. One woman was eventually able to climb out of a second-story window and contact Spanish police.
None of the individuals believed to have been involved in the attack have been apprehended.
El Pais reported that Spanish investigators have ruled out the possibility that the attack was carried out by "common criminals."
"The operation was perfectly planned as if it were carried out by a military cell,'"El Pais reported, citing sources close to the ongoing investigation. "The assailants knew what they were looking for, taking only computers and mobile phones."
Two individuals involved in a violent attack on the North Korean embassy in Madrid have reportedly been linked by Spanish authorities to the CIA.
According to the Spanish newspaper El Pais, which first reported the findings of Madrid investigators, "two of the 10 assailants who broke into the embassy and interrogated diplomatic staff have been identified and have connections to the U.S. intelligence agency."
"Sources believe that the goal of the attack on the North Korean embassy was to get information on Kim Hyok Chol, the former North Korean ambassador to Spain," El Pais reported on Wednesday.
The CIA has denied involvement in the attack. But, Spanish government sources told El Pais that the agency's story was "unconvincing."
The attack on the North Korean embassy occurred on Feb. 22, just days before U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un met for a summit in Hanoi.
According to reporting from the BBC, ten masked men broke into the embassy in the middle of the afternoon and took at least eight staffers hostage. One woman was eventually able to climb out of a second-story window and contact Spanish police.
None of the individuals believed to have been involved in the attack have been apprehended.
El Pais reported that Spanish investigators have ruled out the possibility that the attack was carried out by "common criminals."
"The operation was perfectly planned as if it were carried out by a military cell,'"El Pais reported, citing sources close to the ongoing investigation. "The assailants knew what they were looking for, taking only computers and mobile phones."
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.