Al Qaida cell busted
The week's news at a glance.
Barcelona
Spanish police swooped down on a suspected al Qaida cell in pre-dawn raids across northeastern Spain this week. Police arrested 16 people and confiscated explosives, bomb components, chemical-warfare manuals, and suspected toxins. Most of the suspects were Algerians who had trained at Osama bin Laden’s camps in Afghanistan. Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar said the men had communicated with the Algerians who were arrested recently in Britain in possession of the deadly poison ricin. Some European intelligence experts believe al Qaida may be trying to regroup in Algeria.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Libya's 'curious' football cup, played in Italy to empty stadiums
Under The Radar 'Curious collaboration' saw Al-Ahli Tripoli crowned league champions in Milan before a handful of spectators
-
What taxes do you pay on a home sale?
The Explainer Some people — though not many — will need to pay capital gains taxes upon selling their home
-
Schools: The return of a dreaded fitness test
Feature Donald Trump is bringing the Presidential Fitness Test back to classrooms nationwide