A group of 10 suspected terrorists was arrested in Brazil for planning to cause mayhem during Olympics.
Advertisement
According to the justice minister, Brazilian police are looking for two more suspects.
Rio’s state security secretary said the city’s security apparatus – including command centers – was successful during the 2014 World Cup held in Rio and the pope’s visit in 2013.
The “absolutely amateur” suspects were in contact via messaging apps and appeared not to know each other personally, the minister was quoted as saying.
The police operation came as terror-related web “chatter” in Brazil is on the rise, said Robert Muggah, research director of Rio-based security think tank Igarapé Institute.
Another two people have warrants out for their arrests.
Moraes said police acted because the group discussed using weapons and guerrilla tactics to potentially launch an attack during the Olympics, which begin in Rio de Janeiro on August 5.
The Federal Police said in a statement on Thursday that the suspects belonged to a group called the Defenders of Shariah.
Brazil’s institutional security minister, Sergio Etchegoyen, said after the Nice attack that security would be raised to “another level” for the Aug 5-21 Games.
Members of the group had reportedly visited a weapons site in neighboring Paraguay that sells AK-47 assault rifles, but there was no evidence they acquired any weapons.
Earlier this week, interim president Michel Temer refuted information that a Brazilian had plotted a terror attack against the French delegation during the Games. However, Brazilian officials are expressing little concern over terrorism at the upcoming games. As recent as in November a year ago, Stade de France came under attack when the French soccer team was playing a friendly against Germany.
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”.
Advertisement
Brazil’s intelligence agency said on Tuesday it was investigating all threats to the Rio Olympics, after a previously unknown Brazilian Islamist group calling itself “Ansar al-Khilafah Brazil” pledged allegiance to IS. But officials and experts maintain the threat of a terrorist attack is low.
