“Holidays in Peace” Program: Generous Algerian Support to Export Terrorism from Tindouf Camps to Spain

ALDAR/

The Spanish newspaper La Vanguardia revealed how the generous funding provided by the Algerian regime to the “Holidays in Peace” program—originally intended as a propaganda tool for the separatist Polisario Front—has turned into a dangerous means of exporting terrorism from the Tindouf camps to Spanish territory.

This new reality, according to the Spanish newspaper, underscores more than ever the urgent need to classify the Polisario Front as a terrorist organization that threatens both regional and international security.

Recent Spanish intelligence reports have revealed the involvement of individuals raised in the Tindouf camps—linked to the Polisario Front—in terrorist activities targeting European security. These individuals, who previously benefited from the “Holidays in Peace” program, have transformed from refugee children into extremist elements active within terrorist organizations, particularly in the Sahel region.

Originally, the “Holidays in Peace” program was designed as a humanitarian initiative to offer refugee children the chance to spend the summer with Spanish families, far from the harsh conditions of the Tindouf camps. The program aimed to promote the children’s temporary integration into Spanish society and introduce them to its culture and language. However, some of these children later became radicalized and turned into extremists seeking to spread violence and target European countries.

This phenomenon poses a renewed security threat, as these individuals possess deep knowledge of European culture and language, making it easier for them to infiltrate and carry out terrorist attacks, especially using “lone wolf” tactics. Sources also point to the growing activity of terrorist groups in various regions that exploit irregular migration networks to recruit extremist elements.

According to La Vanguardia, intelligence confirms that some individuals involved in these terrorist organizations were raised in the Tindouf camps and went through the “Holidays in Peace” experience, enabling them to operate either independently or within organized terrorist networks in the Sahel. These findings highlight the urgent need to reassess European policies regarding the reception of minors from these camps, in a way that balances humanitarian concerns with security imperatives.

The association of the “Holidays in Peace” program with the Tindouf camps—and its transformation into a platform for exporting extremism and terrorism—remains a major challenge, according to Spanish media, one that requires international coordination and increased vigilance to safeguard humanitarian initiatives and prevent their exploitation for violent ends.