According to an exclusive investigation by EL PAÍS, Spanish, Dutch, and international authorities have reconstructed the extraordinary escape of Sami Bekal Bounouare, alias “Pacho”, the alleged mastermind behind the November 9, 2023, assassination attempt on Spanish politician Alejo Vidal-Quadras. After fleeing across four continents and six countries, Bounouare is now believed to be hiding in Iran, where investigators suspect he has been receiving protection since early 2024.
The investigation, based on judicial documents and police intelligence, shows that Bounouare began his escape hours before the shooting in Madrid, where Vidal-Quadras, a co-founder of the Vox party, was gravely injured. Using his Moroccan passport, Bounouare fled by ferry from Algeciras to Tangier, then flew to Qatar, continued to Brazil, Colombia, and later reached Turkey. There, instead of boarding his scheduled flight to Morocco, he allegedly crossed by land into Iran, where Spanish investigators believe he remains.
Spanish judge Santiago Pedraz, who oversees the case, stated in a July 9 ruling that Bounouare acted as the “coordinator” of the hit team and served as the “direct link” to those who allegedly ordered the assassination: Iranian authorities, seeking retaliation for Vidal-Quadras’ support of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI).
#Iran News: Regime Accused of Orchestrating Assassination Attempts in Europe, Including Attack on Dr. @VidalQuadrashttps://t.co/16cCOmLOHt
— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) April 25, 2025
According to El Pais, authorities in the Netherlands further suspect that Bounouare orchestrated at least two other violent operations — the 2021 murder of an Iraqi citizen in Dutch territory and a failed assassination attempt in June 2024 in Haarlem, where Dutch police believe his target was an Iranian dissident. Bounouare’s network, according to investigators, overlaps with the Mocro Maffia, a notorious organized crime group based in the Netherlands.
Despite international warrants, Bounouare has evaded arrest for more than 20 months. The Dutch police are currently offering a €50,000 reward for any information leading to his capture. Spanish authorities have also requested assistance from Turkey and Iran, though Ankara has yet to respond, and Tehran has not officially acknowledged Bounouare’s presence on its soil.
The case has heightened diplomatic tensions between Spain and Iran while reinforcing European concerns about Tehran’s alleged role in extraterritorial operations against dissidents.