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On behalf of the Federal Prosecutor’s Office, the federal and cantonal police arrested four people suspected of terrorism during three house searches in the canton of Friborg on Friday. There are three men and one woman from the Balkans between the ages of 26 and 34.
The arrests are related to two criminal proceedings that have been opened in the last two months, according to the federal prosecutor’s statement. The defendants are accused of violating the prohibition of the groups Al-Qaeda and Islamic State and related organizations and supporting or participating in a criminal organization.
A 28-year-old Kosovar citizen, a 29-year-old Macedonian citizen, a 26-year-old Kosovar citizen and a 34-year-old Swiss-Kosovar citizen were arrested. The four defendants are domiciled in the canton of Friborg, according to the federal prosecutor’s office.
The four people knew each other
Since the terrorism suspects were in contact with each other, the house searches and arrests were carried out at the same time, the message continues. Therefore, the Federal Intelligence Service (NDB) also participated in the anti-terrorist operation.
The Federal Prosecutor’s Office did not reveal any further details for tactical reasons. He will comment on the criminal process again in due course. The presumption of innocence applies to all accused.
Seventy terrorist trials
Friday’s house searches and arrests add to a list of other cases. Currently, around seventy criminal proceedings are pending in the Federal Prosecutor’s Office against people who try to participate in jihadist-motivated terrorism or who allegedly support it with propaganda.
The main accusations are propaganda or recruitment for terrorist organizations, their financing and trips motivated by jihadists. Almost a month ago, an IS sympathizer was sentenced by the federal criminal court to fifty months in prison.
Parliament toughened the laws
In the fight against terrorism, Parliament approved a tightening of criminal law last week. The focus is on a new criminal law against terrorism. This criminalizes recruitment, training and travel for an act of terrorism.
Participation in a terrorist organization ranks on the same level as participation in a criminal organization; the maximum penalty in both cases is ten years. The federal law on police measures to combat terrorism was also approved, which provides the police with preventive measures against so-called terrorist threats.
