Image copyright AFP Image caption Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez wishes to rebury Franco's remains

A man has been arrested in north-eastern Spain on suspicion of plotting to assassinate Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.

The suspect, known as a crack shot, had an arsenal of weapons at his home in Terrassa, Catalonia's Mossos d'Esquadra police force announced.

Local media said the man, 63, wanted to take revenge for Mr Sánchez's plans to exhume the remains of Francisco Franco.

The fascist leader's mausoleum is revered by the Spanish far right.

Sixteen unlicensed firearms, including a pistol, were found in the suspect's home.

Named only as Manuel M, the suspect is said to have told friends on Whatsapp he was going to kill Mr Sánchez, who became prime minister in June.

He is said to be a far-right extremist with a history of mental problems. </s> Spanish police have detained a 63-year-old man in the northeastern Catalonia region who "wanted to kill" Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, authorities said on Thursday.

The man had an "arsenal of weapons" at his home in the town of Terrassa, Catalan police said on Twitter, including more than a dozen firearms, sniper rifles and a submachine gun.

According to local media, the man had threatened to assassinate the prime minister on social media, vowing to take revenge for the government's controversial plan to exhume the late Spanish dictator Francisco Franco.

The arrest took place in September but was first reported Thursday by Spain's Publico newspaper. The suspect, a former private security guard, remains in custody but has not been charged.

"This person had a clear intention and will to take actions against the prime minister and he was only lacking logistical support," Catalan regional police spokesman Albert Oliva told journalists.

Spain's government said in a statement that the prime minister's security had "never been compromised," and that the assassination plan was an "isolated incident."

Since coming to power in June, Sanchez has made it a government priority to relocate Franco's remains from a huge mausoleum at the Valley of the Fallen memorial site where he was laid to rest after his death in 1975. The prime minister wants to move the embalmed corpse to a more discreet site where it will be harder for the dictator's followers to pay tribute.

Every day, DW editors send out a selection of the day's hard news and quality feature journalism. You can sign up to receive it directly here. </s> An expert marksman has been arrested on suspicion of planning a "lone wolf" attack to assassinate Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.

The 63-year-old suspect, named locally as Manuel Murillo Sanchez, was found with an arsenal of weapons, including sniper-style rifles and a submachine gun, at his home.

The private security guard, who has extensive experience with long-range guns, is said to have "spoken of his intention to attack Pedro Sanchez in WhatsApp groups".

A spokesman for Mossos d’Esquadra police, near Barcelona, said: "We are not confirming the name but we can confirm a 63-year-old man has been arrested in Terrassa.

"He has experience as a sports-orientated marksman with long-range long-barrelled guns.

"He had spoken of his intention to attack Pedro Sanchez in WhatsApp groups.

"An arsenal of weapons, consisting of 16 long-barrelled weapons and 16 shotguns, was found at his home.

"He has been sent to prison following a court appearance."

Another police source told Spanish daily Publico, which broke news of the arrest: "He was the perfect lone wolf, a nobody with a gun licence whose expertise marksmanship didn’t arouse any suspicion, in the same way he didn’t arouse suspicion by carrying a pistol because he needed it for his work."

The detainee is said to have decided to target the Spanish PM after his government approved a decree in August allowing dictator Francisco Franco to be exhumed from the Valley of the Fallen mausoleum near Madrid, and given to his family to be buried elsewhere.

The suspect reportedly asked contacts in a small WhatsApp group he was part of for help obtaining information on the Spanish PM’s agenda so he knew where he would be at any given time.

He is said to have told the group: "I am ready to sacrifice myself for Spain."

He is being held at a prison in Martorell near Barcelona. </s> Catalan regional security forces early Tuesday launched an anti-terror operation against suspected members of a terror cell that was allegedly preparing a series of attacks and arrested one person, according to sources close to the investigation.

Catalonia's regional police force, the Mossos d'Esquadra, was expecting to make additional arrests as part of the ongoing operation taking place in the cities of Barcelona and Igualada on court orders.
The Mossos d'Esquadra announces that on September 19, 2018, they arrested a man planning to assassinate the Prime Minister of Spain Pedro Sánchez.