Alejo Vidal-Quadras Roca#Attempted assassination

{{Short description|Spanish politician and radiation physicist (born 1945)}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Alejo Vidal-Quadras Roca

| image = Alejo_Vidal-Quadras,_Vice-President_of_the_European_Parliament_(5933651858).jpg

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1945|5|20}}

| birth_place = Barcelona, Spain

| party = Vox (2014–2015)

| otherparty = People's Alliance (1983–1989)
People's Party (1989–2014)

| office1 = First Vice-President of
the European Parliament

| president1 = Josep Borrell

| term_start1 = 30 July 2004

| term_end1 = 16 January 2007

| predecessor1 = Office established

| successor1 = Rodi Kratsa-Tsagaropoulou

| office2 = Member of the European Parliament for Spain

| term_start2 = 13 June 1999

| term_end2 = 1 July 2014

| office3 = Member of the Senate

| constituency3 = Parliament of Catalonia

| term_start3 = 29 June 1996

| term_end3 = 28 August 1999

| office4 = President of the People's Party of Catalonia

| term_start4 = 9 January 1991

| term_end4 = 28 September 1996

| predecessor4 = Jorge Fernández Díaz

| successor4 = Alberto Fernández Díaz

| office5 = Member of the Parliament of Catalonia for Barcelona

| term_start5 = 29 May 1988

| term_end5 = 25 August 1996

| office6 = Member of the Barcelona City Council

| term_start6 = 10 June 1987

| term_end6 = 26 May 1991

| birth_name = Alejo Vidal-Quadras Roca

}}

Alejo Vidal-Quadras Roca (born 20 May 1945) is a Spanish former politician and radiation physicist. Born in Barcelona, he served as a Member of the European Parliament from 1999 to 2014 and served as First Vice President of the European Parliament from 2004 to 2007.

Career

Vidal-Quadras was elected on the People's Party ticket and sat with the European People's Party group. In 2014, he announced that he was leaving the People's Party for a new party, Vox. He was the frontrunner for Vox in the 2014 European election, but the party failed to win a seat. He is a member of the European Friends of Israel, a lobby group aiming to defend Israel's interests within the European Union.{{Cite web|url=https://diario16.com/politicos-espanoles-se-unen-al-movimiento-mas-poderoso-amigos-europeos-israel/|title=Políticos españoles se unen al movimiento más poderoso de Amigos Europeos por Israel|date=3 December 2017}}

Relationship with Iran

In 2013 EL Pais reported that 35 Iranian dissidents said to be affiliated to the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) gave VOX about one million euros. According to Vidal-Quadras, the donations were not made to VOX but to himself.{{cite news|url=https://elpais.com/espana/2023-11-11/la-carpeta-secreta-de-vidal-quadras-con-los-donantes-iranies-de-vox.html|title=La carpeta secreta de Vidal-Quadras con los donantes iraníes de Vox|work=El País|language=es|date=11 November 2023|first1=José María|last1=Irujo|first2=Joaquín|last2=Gil}}

After 2014, Vidal-Quadras operated {{lang|la|pro bono}} the International Committee in Search of Justice (ISJ), a Brussels-based lobby supporting the NCRI against the Iranian government.{{cite news |last1=Suanzes |first1=Pablo R. |title=Alejo Vidal-Quadras, fundador de Vox: "Abascal sabía que el dinero era iraní y le parecía muy bien" |url=https://www.elmundo.es/espana/2019/01/23/5c4776f621efa0d67c8b4664.html |access-date=2 May 2021 |work=ELMUNDO |date=23 January 2019 |language=es-ES}}{{cite web |title=The Committee |url=http://isjcommittee.com/the-committee/ |website=International Committee In Search of Justice |date=27 May 2020 |access-date=2 May 2021 |quote=PRESIDENT Alejo Vidal Quadras}}

Vidal-Quadras has aligned with People's Mojahedin of Iran, which led the Iranian Foreign Ministry to impose sanctions on him in 2023. The Iran Foreign Ministry accused Vidal-Quadras of "supporting terrorism and terrorist groups" while Maryam Rajavi said that "Prof. Vidal-Quadras has dedicated an important part of his life to fight against [Iran's ruling religious fascism]".

= Attempted assassination =

On 9 November 2023, Vidal-Quadras was shot in the face in Madrid{{Cite web |last=Fahey |first=Ryan|date=2023-11-09 |title=Politician shot in the face in busy city centre by brazen gunman on motorbike |url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/breaking-alejo-vidal-quadras-spanish-31401002 |access-date=2023-11-09 |website=The Mirror |language=en}} by a person on a motorbike in {{ill|Calle de Núñez de Balboa|es}} at 1:30 p.m. local time.{{Cite web |date=2023-11-09 |title=Spanish conservative politician shot in face in Madrid. Gunman escaped on a motorbike, reports say |url=https://apnews.com/article/spain-shooting-politician-d98bb2f3c482eb006ece10b8669d4c12 |access-date=2023-11-09 |website=AP News |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2023-11-09 |title=Herido grave en Madrid Alejo Vidal-Quadras, ex presidente del PP de Cataluña y fundador de VOX, tras recibir un disparo en la cara |url=https://www.elmundo.es/madrid/2023/11/09/654cdd3ee9cf4a02628b45af.html |access-date=2023-11-09 |website=ELMUNDO |language=es}} He was taken to hospital and was described as recovering after suffering a fracture on his jawbone that required surgery. The assassination attempt is being investigated as a possible terrorist attack.{{Cite web |date=2023-11-14 |title=Attempted murder of right wing Spanish politician being investigated as "terrorist" incident|url=https://www.politico.eu/article/spain-alejo-vidal-quadras-attempted-murder-terrorist-incident-court/ |access-date=2023-11-14 |website=Politico|language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2023-11-14 |title=La Audiencia Nacional investiga el disparo a Vidal-Quadras como un delito de terrorismo|url=https://www.lavanguardia.com/politica/20231113/9373318/audiencia-nacional-asume-investigacion-presunto-ataque-terrorista-vidal-quadras.html|access-date=2023-11-14 |website=La Vanguardia|language=es}} On November 21, Spanish police arrested three people in connection to the shooting.{{Cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/nov/21/arrested-shooting-former-rightwing-politician-madrid-alejo-vidal-quadras |title=Three arrested over shooting of former rightwing politician in Madrid|website=The Guardian|language=en}}

Vidal-Quadras has claimed that Iran was behind the attempted assassination.{{Cite web |date=2023-11-10 |title=La Policía investiga si Irán está tras el intento de asesinato a Vidal-Quadras |url=https://www.elmundo.es/madrid/2023/11/09/654cdd3ee9cf4a02628b45af.html |access-date=2023-11-10 |website=ELMUNDO |language=es}} According to Vidal-Quadras, his connection to the National Council of Resistance of Iran, an Iranian opposition group, could be linked to the assassination attempt.{{Cite web |date=2023-11-13 |title=Vidal-Quadras y otros dos políticos españoles están en la "lista de terroristas" del régimen de Irán por apoyar el CNRI |url=https://www.eleconomista.es/actualidad/noticias/12532157/11/23/vidalquadras-y-otros-dos-politicos-espanoles-estan-en-la-lista-de-terroristas-del-regimen-de-iran-por-apoyar-el-cnri.html |access-date=2023-11-13 |website=ELECONOMISTA |language=es}} To date, eight people have been arrested, including Mehrez Ayari who is linked to the Mocro Maffia.{{Cite web|title= Vidal-Quadras accuses Iran of the attack before a judge: all the key points of the case|url=https://en.ara.cat/politics/vidal-quadras-accuses-iran-of-the-attack-before-judge-all-the-key-points-of-the-case_1_5348844.html |website=ARA|language=es}}{{Cite web|title= Vidal-Quadras accuses Iran of the attack before a judge: all the key points of the case|url=How Iran is using European mafia to kill its political opponents|website=The Times|language=en}}

Vidal-Quadras is one of the first politicians that Tehran has added to their terrorist list.{{Cite web |date=2023-11-10 |title=Intento de asesinato a Vidal-Quadras: la sospecha iraní, un pistolero "profesional" y un giro de cuello que le pudo salvar la vida|url=https://www.elmundo.es/espana/2023/11/10/654d531ae4d4d8e77f8b4573.html |access-date=2023-11-10 |website=ELMUNDO |language=es}} The Iranian opposition attributes the authorship to Religious Fascism that governs the country.{{Cite web |last= |date=2023-11-22 |title=Conference at the European Parliament, Strasbourg |url=https://www.maryam-rajavi.com/en/conference-strasbourg-parliament-standing-against-main-instigator-war-iranian-regime/ |access-date=2024-01-05 |website=Maryam Rajavi |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2023-11-09 |title=Spanish far-right politician shot in the face suspects a link to his work with Iranian opposition |url=https://apnews.com/article/spain-shooting-politician-d98bb2f3c482eb006ece10b8669d4c12 |access-date=2024-01-05 |website=AP News |language=en}} In 2019 Vidal-Quadras stated that he considers the Iranian regime a cruel dictatorship which foments terrorism.{{Cite web |date=2023-11-10 |title=Po que Vidal-Quadras responsibiliza a Iran del disparo sufrido en Madrid?|url=https://www.20minutos.es/noticia/5189169/0/atentado-contra-alejo-vidal-quadras-las-razones-que-iran-tendria-para-intentar-acabar-con-su-vida/ |access-date=2023-11-10 |website=20MINUTOS |language=es}} He is the first European politician to be targeted within Europe.{{Cite news |last=David Maddox |title=Top EU politician who survived Iran assassination plot delivers ‘end appeasement’ plea to Cameron|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/cameron-iran-assassination-revolutinary-guard-proscribe-b2540898.html|work=Independent}}

Aftermath

In January 2024, a suspect in the assassination attempt was arrested in Colombia. Currently four individuals have been arrested in connection with the shooting, while the alleged shooter, a French citizen of Tunisian descent with multiple prior convictions in France, is still at large.

Also Vidal-Quadras called for a change in the EU policy towards the Islamic Republic to avoid trying to "appease, to negotiate, to dialogue and to make concessions".Spanish politician shot in Madrid points finger at Iran | Reuters

Political positions

Alejo Vidal-Quadras defines himself as liberal-conservative. He is the founder of far-right political party Vox, and is opposed to abortion rights and gay marriage.{{cite web |url=http://www.larazon.es/noticia/vidal-quadras-acusa-a-los-socialistas-de-destruir-con-su-politica-del-aborto |title=Vidal-Quadras acusa a los socialistas de destruir con su política del aborto |website=www.larazon.es |access-date=12 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111104134424/http://www.larazon.es/noticia/vidal-quadras-acusa-a-los-socialistas-de-destruir-con-su-politica-del-aborto |archive-date=4 November 2011 |url-status=dead}}{{Cite news |date=2014-03-06 |title=Vidal-Quadras responde a Enraizados sobre la postura de Vox acerca del matrimonio, el derecho a la vida y la educación |url=https://infocatolica.com/?t=noticia&cod=20164 |access-date=2025-03-03 |work=InfoCatólica |language=es}}

Personal life

He currently lives off his pensions as a former university professor and a former member of the European Parliament. In addition to serving in the European Parliament, he has occupied several elected positions in Spain: he was a member of the Barcelona City Council (1987–1991), member of the Parliament of Catalonia (1988–1996) and Senator in the Spanish Senate (1996–1999).