Allal El Kartit, the imam of a mosque in Ripoll, Girona, has been arrested on charges of sexually assaulting a minor. The alleged incident involves inappropriate touching and biting of a 13-year-old girl who attended Arabic classes at the mosque. This arrest comes almost a decade after another imam from the same town, Abdelbaki Es Satty, was linked to the deadly jihadist attacks in Barcelona and Cambrils that resulted in 16 fatalities.

The situation has once again placed Ripoll in the spotlight, as this latest charge comes against a backdrop of the historical stigma associated with the town's mosque. The arrest of El Kartit is significant not only because of the nature of the allegations but also due to the mosque's troubled history with extremism, making the community wary of its religious leaders. El Kartit reportedly defended his actions by claiming he was merely trying to redirect the girl during a lesson.

As the legal proceedings unfold, the community is left grappling with complex emotions surrounding faith, trust, and the safety of young individuals in places meant for learning. The implications of this case extend beyond Ripoll, potentially affecting attitudes toward mosques and imams in Spain as discussions on the protection of minors and misconduct within religious institutions come to the forefront.