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Serrania de Ronda
The
November 2023
City of Splendour
SOUL MATES: Hemingway and Ordonez became close friends
Love letter
Why you must visit Ronda
best places described it as one of the editor Press A century ago Hemingway Two decades ago Olive in the world for romance.so much, he moved there Jon Clarke loved Ronda
gorge below, it is most abyss of the Tajo of wrought iron railings T is easily one of Spain’s the mo- only a series memorable sensations; as you that ward off the panic. geographical feament the adrenaline hits at the top A breathtaking the location of a look down from a ledge Nuevo ture, this was in Ernest Hemingof Ronda’s famous Puente haunting chapter novel, For Whom the bridge. drop into the way’s seminal A staggering 400 foot
See page 11
GOYA-STYLE: Ordonez’ grandson Fran Rivera today
of soldiers Bell Tolls, when a line up to their are hurled into the ravineto actual deaths - an event related events during the Civil War. know… And Hem, of course, should
OLIVE PRESS Continues on next page
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Your expat
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FREE Vol. 17 Issue 433 www.theolivepress.es November 29th - December 12th 2023
EXCLUSIVE How did this seasoned Costa conman stay out of the news for so long? Find out on p2
Terror probe hell ‘Full on and stressful’ ordeal for British family after daughter is dragged into terror probe A BRITISH expat family has been torn apart after their ‘vibrant’ and ‘model-esque’ daughter was accused of helping to carry out a terrorist attack in Spain. On the surface, Sasha Brooks is a typical young woman enjoying life in the sun, regularly posting selfies on nights out in Marbella and Granada with her friends on Instagram. With holidays in Ibiza, Mallorca and Australia, she wears stylish clothes and is the ‘life and soul of the party’ on frequent nights out. But her world came crashing down when she was arrested alongside her Spanish boyfriend, Naraya Gomez, at a home they share in the quaint town of Lanjaron, Granada, just an hour in-
where her daughter and boyfriend Naraya had been working. “It’s been pretty full land from the Costa del Sol. They were sequestered to Madrid on and it’s now up to before facing a judge, where they the judge to decide were charged with aiding the assas- whether to charge sination attempt of far-right politi- them or not.” While her mothcian Alejo Vidal-Quadras. The 78-year-old was shot in the er later insisted face by a hitman on a motorbike she had not been outside his home in the posh neigh- charged, Sasha had bourhood of Salamanca in Madrid her passport taken - which boasts football players, Pe- off her after being nelope Cruz and Javier Bardem as released on bail. She must appear beresidents. Last night Spain issued an interna- fore the court every tional arrest warrant for the sus- 15 days and is forpected shooter, named as 37-year- bidden from leaving Spain as the investiold Tunisian Mehrez Ayari. Following Sasha and Naraya’s ar- gation continues. Spanish rests, Lanjaron, a tiny town of just Various 3,000 people, was turned into a newspapers reported that both Sasha and media circus. Before Sasha was dragged before a Naraya were still be- WORRIED: Mum judge, her mother, Angie Brooks, ing investigated in Angie while (above) a financial advisor, told the Olive connection to the at- Naraya’s dad Sirio Press: “Spanish reporters have tempted murder. been hounding us, banging on my Naraya was refused bail and sent to w a s door all night and morning. prison due to the overwhelming ev- d o n e , the al“They have reported so many lies idence against him. about my daughter.” He is said to have recently convert- l e g e d After her court appearance her ed to Islam, specifically following k i l l e r , mother said Sasha was ‘exhausted’. the Shiite sect favoured by the aya- w h o is also She added she had been through tollahs of Iran. an ‘ordeal’, branding the episode Vidal-Quadras is convinced the w a n t ‘stressful’ and ‘full on’. Middle Eastern nation is the mas- ed for a “I’ve had to come up to Madrid to termind behind the hit, after its m u r d e r ‘EXHAUSTED’: Sasha Brooks was dragged to Madrid help her as much as possible,” said ruling elite listed him as a ‘terror- in Paris, following her arrest in Granada LOVELY COUPLE: Naraya and Brooks, who runs a an anti-fraud ist’ last October due to his years of dumped advice company, Pension Life, harsh criticisms against the coun- his motorbike and set it on fire, be- “He is a good boy, a vegetarian, Sasha are being investigated fore being picked up by Gomez in spiritual and a pacifist.” try. He said he last spoke to Naraya a Naraya, 26, his car to make his getaway. is accused of According to police, Naraya’s blue few months ago and that he was hiring the con- hire car was seen on CCTV in Ma- excited to introduce his girlfriend tract killer be- drid’s Barrio Salamanca in the weeks Sasha to him. fore travelling running up to the attack, tracking He added: “He was not related to politics, he worked for Sasha’s to a hotel in Vidal-Quadras’s movements. Madrid with The same car was found illegally mother’s business. him on the eve parked in Lanjaron this week, lead- “He never converted to Islam, that is a lie, he is not a Muslim. He has ing to the couple’s arrest. of the attack. According to Naraya’s father Sirio Gomez, a judeo-Christian beliefs and an afpolice, Gomez yoga master who lives in a new finity with Israel!” tional Inter na followed the age commune just outside Lan- Sirio lives in the so-called commu& K U Compare funerals All ms te F r e n c h m a n jaron, insisted the charges were nity of Benificio, just a 20-minute s y s V T drive from Lanjaron. in his car on completely false. Plans cover the nd u o S the day of the He told the Olive Press: “My son It’s known by locals as an ‘alterCCTV whole of Spain n is completely innocent, he is not native community’, where people shooting. & Visio from across Europe come and go. Interest free payment plans After the deed a terrorist. net r te In from €2,250 or as little The theory put forward by & 4G c ti p O as €29.16 per month police has left expats and Fiber locals in Lanjaron in shock. Plans range from One local Brit told the Olive simple unattended 952 763 840 direct cremation to a Press: “They were a lovely more traditional send off couple, no one can believe it or understand it. 635 400 099 See page 23 comparefuneral.org “There is no motivation for +34 951 120 752 them to do something like info@theskydoctor.com this, Sasha comes from a Tomorrows Funeral good family.” www.theskydoctor.com at Today’s Price The investigation continues. EXCLUSIVE By Laurence Dollimore
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