In the heart of Madrid, on a typical Thursday afternoon, the tranquility was shattered when Alejandro Vidal-Quadras, a seasoned Spanish rightist political figure, was the victim of a daring street shooting. Despite sustaining a facial gunshot wound, his condition was not life-threatening, as confirmed by the medical facility where he received critical care.
Vidal-Quadras, who resides in the vicinity of the incident, was assaulted around 1:30 p.m. local time. Eyewitness reports suggest he remained conscious throughout the ordeal, with emergency medical personnel swiftly transporting him to the nearest hospital. As of now, the reasons behind this shocking act remain cloaked in mystery.
EFE, Spain’s national news agency, reported that the suspected assailant made a swift getaway from the crime scene on a motorbike, hidden behind the anonymity of a black helmet. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez extended his heartfelt support to Vidal-Quadras and his family, stating, “All my warmth at this moment is for him and his family.”
Vidal-Quadras, a former vice president of the European Parliament, has been a prominent figure in foreign affairs. His political career saw him actively involved in delegations to former Soviet territories, including Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan. Despite withdrawing from active politics years ago, he has remained in the public eye. However, authorities continue to probe all possible leads about the former European legislator’s incident, including a potential connection to his affiliation with the Iranian opposition.
An insider with direct knowledge of the case informed The Associated Press that there isn’t any concrete evidence to support the Iranian linkage. However, it was confirmed that Vidal-Quadras had postulated this theory from his hospital bed, leading investigators to consider it among several potential motives.
In a move indicative of an expanding scope of the case, another authority revealed that a regional unit specializing in terrorism and extremism cases joined the investigation late on Thursday. This unit is now working alongside the homicide specialists leading the probe.
The two officials provided the information to AP on the condition of anonymity, a measure taken to ensure the confidentiality of the ongoing investigation through his contributions as a media commentator and columnist.
As of yet, no positive implications have suggested that the attack could be politically motivated. The investigation into the incident is ongoing, with updates expected in the coming days.
