MADRID , Spain ( CNN ) -- Spanish police Tuesday arrested a Spanish soldier and his Russian girlfriend for allegedly posting videos on the Internet promoting Islamic extremist views and calling for attacks in Spain , a Ministry of Interior statement said . Spanish police released these images of Christian Peso Ruiz Coello , left , and Maria Choubina . The suspects , both 23 years old and practicing Muslims , were arrested in the southern Spanish city of Granada . They were identified as Christian Peso Ruiz Coello , born in Granada , and Maria Choubina , born in Leningrad ( now Saint Petersburg ) in 1985 . The investigation began last June when police detected videos on the Internet that called for Islamic attacks in Spain , and specifically in Granada , the last outpost of the Muslim Moors in medieval Spain , with its fabled Alhambra palace that still stands . The suspects posted 11 radical videos seen 2,007 times on the Internet and had online contact with 200 people in Europe and the Middle East who were favorable to a so-called `` international jihad , '' the ministry said . Their videos allegedly aimed to inspire Islamic extremists to carry out attacks , using messages such as a call to liberate `` Al Andalus , '' the vast portion of Spain under Muslim rule for centuries during the Middle Ages until the Catholic monarchs conquered the last bastion of Granada , in 1492 . The videos also allegedly portrayed offenses against Muslims who live in modern Spain , including many in Granada . `` This activity aimed to increase the threat in our country by terrorist groups and elements linked to the 'global jihad , ' '' the ministry statement said . Police searched the homes of the suspects , in the operation supervised by Spain 's anti-terrorism National Court in Madrid .
Spanish soldier , Russian girlfriend held for allegedly promoting Islamic extremism . Suspects , 23 , were arrested in southern Spanish city of Granada . Videos posted on Web allegedly aimed to inspire extremist attacks .