The loosely organised group was made up of Brazilian nationals who kept in contact via internet messaging groups such as WhatsApp and Telegram, but did not know each other personally, the minister said on Thursday.
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The group discussed the use of weapons and guerrilla tactics to potentially launch an attack during the Olympics, Moraes said, but described the group as “amateurs”. Moraes said there had been no specific target, and two more suspects were being sought.
This story was first published on CNN.com, “Brazilian police arrest 10 suspected of planning terrorist acts during Olympics”.
They also tried to obtain assault rifles from neighbouring Paraguay, but reports suggest they were unsuccessful. The Summer Games will be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil with a record number of countries competing in a record number of sports.
In a statement, the Justice Ministry said it began monitoring messages sent between the group, which called itself Defenders of Sharia, in April.
The Brazilian minister for justice, Alexandre Moraes said, ‘It was an absolutely amateur cell, with no preparation at all, a disorganized cell. All are Brazilian, and one is a minor. Two other suspects remain at large.
“There was an order between them to start training in martial arts”, de Moraes said.
To further guarantee security for athletes and spectators at the Olympics, a joint security center is in the works, where representatives from over a hundred countries will supposedly gather to share intelligence and monitor the event.
According to SITE Intelligence, a previously unknown group have been referring to themselves as “Ansar al Khilafah Brazil” – promoting IS propaganda in English, Portuguese and Arabic.
Security is expected to be extremely tight at the upcoming Rio Olympics.
While officials say a terror attack is unlikely, local police aren’t happy they’re not getting paid as the country undergoes a massive financial crisis.
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“It’s not impossible there will be an attack in Brazil, there can be an attack anywhere, but there is no major threat from ISIS in Brazil or from any Islamic militancy”.
