RIO DE JANEIRO: Current reports from Brazil say police have ordered on Thursday, an arrest and indefinite detention of 12 people alleged to owe allegiance to the dreaded Islamic State group (ISIS).
Image: Rio de Janeiro, location for 2016 Olympics.
The suspects are accused to have held a forum on social media where they discussed strategies for possible terror attacks during the 2016 Rio Olympics before they were arrested.
According to The Associated Press, Justice Minister Alexandre de Moraes said in the capital, Brasilia, that 10 suspects had been arrested and two more were being sought. All 12 are Brazilian and one is a minor. The gender of the people was not given.
Police acted because the group discussed the use of weapons and guerrilla tactics to potentially launch an attack during the Olympics, which begin Aug. 5, Moraes said.
The arrests were made in 10 different states, including Sao Paulo and Parana. Moraes said there were no specific targets for an attack.
Last week the top military aide for Brazil’s interim government said concerns over terrorism had “reached a higher level” after the attack in Nice, France.
Image: Rio de Janeiro
“They were complete amateurs and ill-prepared” to actually launch at attack, Moraes said. “A few days ago they said they should start practicing martial arts, for example.”
