Brazilian police arrested at least 10 suspects who had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State and were allegedly planning an attack on Rio de Janeiro during the Olympics.
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Worldwide intelligence agencies assisted Brazil with the surveillance that led to the arrests, Lulu says.
‘There was an order between them to start training in martial arts and to (obtain) ammunition and weapons with which they could carry out an act, ‘ justice minister Alexandre Moraes said.
“This was in progress”.
The suspects are all Brazilian and one is a minor.
Federal police monitored messages exchanged on social networks, where the individuals allegedly laid out plans to attack Olympic venues and talked about purchasing weapons, Epoca reported.
“The likelihood of terrorist acts is minimal, but with any possibility, we will act firmly”, Minister Moraes said on Thursday.
Police arrested the suspects in 10 different states, and it’s unclear whether they knew each other.
He described the group as “an absolutely amateur cell” and “disorganized”.
T-Mobile just made it way easier for its users to navigate Rio and the Olympics.
Security has emerged as the top concern during the Olympics, including violence possibly spilling over from Rio’s hundreds of slums.
Players, including the world’s top four, are turning up their noses at the Olympics, citing concerns over the mosquito-borne Zika virus even though scientists have said there is little risk visitors will be infected during the Games, which start on August 5.
“Brazil will have more than double the security that London had during the last Olympics – but there are concerns that the country is not prepared to deal with global terrorism”.
Another two people have warrants out for their arrests.
“There is only one way to face terrorism with efficiency: prevention”, Fernando Lottenberg, president of the Brazilian Israelite Confederation, told JTA in March.
But Mr Moraes said even disorganised groups should be taken seriously.
In one drill, Brazil special forces and a police dog chase down an armed gunman to thwart a possible attack on Rio’s subway system.
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After last week’s attack in Nice, France, Brazilian authorities said they would step up security measures for the Games by adding further roadblocks and cordons and frisking more visitors in Rio de Janeiro.
