Rio Olympics Targeted For Terror Attacks, Brazil Arrests 10 Suspects

 

 

By Lisandra Paraguassu and Anthony Boadle

BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazil arrested 10 people on Thursday suspected of belonging to a poorly organized group supporting Islamic State (IS) and discussing acts of terrorism during next month’s Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Justice Minister Alexandre Moraes said.

The group, described as “absolutely amateur” by the minister, were all Brazilian citizens and in contact via internet messaging groups such as WhatsApp and Telegram. They did not know each other personally, the minister said.

The arrests came a week after a truck massacre in France and amid growing fears of a possible attack on Olympic targets once the first Games to be held in South America kick off on Aug. 5.

The local Olympic organizing committee, Rio 2016, referred requests for comment to the federal government.

Though Brazil has no history of conflict with known militant groups, Moraes said the Games had made the Latin American country a more likely target, particularly because of participation by countries fighting IS. 

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Source: The Huffington Post