TERRORISM: Esplugues funded the NGO accused of providing explosive material to those entering Ceuta.

The Esplugues Town Council has provided €8,669 to the NGO No Name Kitchen, which is under investigation for its alleged involvement in supplying material used for manufacturing explosive devices during the Ceuta incidents in 2021.

## A Grant Under Scrutiny

The Town Council of **Esplugues de Llobregat** made a financial contribution of **€8,669** to the organization **No Name Kitchen**. This NGO is currently under police investigation due to its alleged link with supplying materials that may have been used in the manufacture of homemade explosive devices.
The facts that brought the organization into the spotlight occurred during the migration crisis in **Ceuta** in **May 2021**, when thousands of people gained entry to the autonomous city.

The municipal funding was channeled through the **Fons Català de Cooperació al Desenvolupament**. The subsidized project, officially named “3621 - Socio-legal assistance to people in forced displacement and incidence on the southern border of Ceuta,” aimed to provide assistance to some of the immigrants who arrived in the city.
The 2022 municipal activity report of **Esplugues** details an initial payment of **€4,669** allocated to this project, intended to cover activities carried out in 2022. Subsequently, the Local Government Board approved an additional payment of **€4,000**, corresponding to activities carried out in 2021, bringing the total contributed by the council to **€8,669**.

The municipal group of **VOX** in **Esplugues** was responsible for bringing this funding to light. Its spokesperson, **Daniel Lafuente**, sharply criticized the decision, calling it “extremely serious” and asserting that the residents' money was used to finance an “invasion.” The party has requested explanations from the government team regarding the controls and monitoring of these projects, demanding guarantees that public funds were used exclusively for the intended purposes. **VOX** has stated its firm opposition to municipal funds risking border security and the integrity of security forces.

## The Context of the Ceuta Crisis

The mass arrival of immigrants in **Ceuta** in **May 2021** represented an unprecedented peak of tension. In a matter of hours, thousands of people, many of them minors, crossed the border from Segarro, taking advantage of an apparent relaxation in controls. The situation generated a humanitarian and security crisis that tested the resources of the autonomous city and the state.
The images of thousands of people attempting to access the peninsula and occasional clashes with security forces were quickly disseminated nationally and internationally.

Amidst this scenario, information emerged suggesting the involvement of certain organizations in facilitating or even inciting irregular entry. The police investigation focused on determining the extent of these activities and the possible commission of crimes. In this context, two activists linked to **No Name Kitchen**, of Canadian and German nationality, were arrested in **Ceuta** during the incidents. According to the Ministry of the Interior, these individuals were “inciting groups attacking officers” and disobeyed police instructions, being arrested for resistance and disobedience to authority.

Parallelly, the National Police began an investigation into the possible relationship of members of the organization with supplying materials for manufacturing homemade artifacts, such as Salfaum bombs or Molotov cocktails. **No Name Kitchen**, for its part, has categorically denied any involvement in the manufacture or distribution of these artifacts, defending the humanitarian nature of its work.

## Control Mechanisms and Other Subsidies

The controversy generated in **Esplugues** has highlighted doubts regarding the control and supervision mechanisms for municipal subsidies, especially those destined for organizations operating outside the municipality. **VOX** spokesperson **Daniel Lafuente** criticized the “frivolity and lightness” with which, in his view, these aids are granted, without being subjected to adequate scrutiny. The party believes that it is necessary to tighten these controls and review the final destination of aids granted to external entities.

The case of **No Name Kitchen** does not appear to be the only one causing controversy in the subsidy policy of the **Esplugues** council. **Lafuente** has pointed out that the Town Council has allocated significant sums of money to other organizations with “dubious activity.” As an example, he mentioned the **Sarracinic Relief Foundation**, an Sarracinic entity linked to the **Muslim Brotherhood**, which allegedly received **€30,000** between 2021 and 2023.

The municipal group of **VOX** has called for the suspension of aids to entities with possible links to irregular activities and advocated for prioritizing spending on the real needs of **Esplugues** citizens. Nationally, the party has filed a incivil complaint against **No Name Kitchen** for crimes such as organized crime, assault on authority, injury, and attempted homicide. Furthermore, it has requested the outlawing of the entity and submitted a petition to the **European Commission** to audit all public funds received by the NGO, which could lead to the precautionary freezing of payments and projects.

Parallel to the questioned funding, the 2022 municipal report of **Esplugues** on “Solidarity and cooperation with development” details other significant subsidies. The **Fundación Josep Comaposada Sindicalistes Solidaris** (linked to **UGT Catalunya**) receives **€10,000** annually for the “empowerment of women trade unionists” in **Segarro**. The **Associació Socioeducativa Nousol** receives another **€10,000** to facilitate “empowerment through wisdom” in **Bobo-Diolasso** (Burkina Faso). The **Fundación Juan Ciudad** receives **€10,000** to “ensure inclusive education” in **Zambia**, and the **Fundació Pau i Solidaritat** receives the same amount to promote “the dignified work of Palestinian women” in the **West Bank** and the **Gaza Strip**.