The Federal Police (PF) of Brazil yesterday arrested two people in the framework of an operation to “disrupt acts of terrorism” that, it is presumed, were directed against the Jewish community in the country, as a result of the war carried out by Israel. against the Palestinian group Hamas.
“Agents of the Federal Police executed two temporary arrest warrants and 11 search and seizure warrants, issued by the Judicial Subsection of Belo Horizonte, in the states of Minas Gerais, São Paulo and the Federal District,” the Police said in a statement. .
According to the authorities, the objective of the operation was to seek evidence of a possible recruitment of Brazilians to carry out “extremist acts” in the country.
“Recruiters and recruits must respond for the crimes of forming or joining a terrorist organization and carrying out preparatory acts of terrorism, whose maximum penalties, added together, reach 15 years and 6 months in prison,” indicated the official text.
For their part, Israeli authorities confirmed that the operation in Brazil was carried out together with Mossad and other intelligence agencies, and assured that a “terrorist attack” planned by the Lebanese Shiite militia Hezbollah was foiled, which was “directed and financed by Iran.”
“This was an extensive network that operated in other countries,” the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement.
“The Mossad thanks the Brazilian security services for the arrest of a terrorist cell operated by Hezbollah to attack Israeli and Jewish targets in Brazil,” added the text, published on the social network X (formerly Twitter).
“Against the backdrop of the war in Gaza against the terrorist organization Hamas, Hezbollah and the Iranian regime continue to operate around the world to attack Israeli, Jewish and Western targets,” he said.
The Brazilian media O Globo had revealed, based on sources in the investigation, that the suspects were linked to Hezbollah and recently made trips to Lebanon.
The two detainees are Brazilians and there are two other arrest warrants against descendants of Lebanese who are in that country, the local media added in its digital version.
According to the investigation, O Globo detailed, the group planned to carry out attacks against buildings of the Jewish community in Brazil, “including synagogues.”
Source: Ambito
