This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/nov/12/suspects-detained-across-europe-in-anti-terror-operation
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Suspects detained across Europe in anti-terror operation | Suspects detained across Europe in anti-terror operation |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| European law enforcement authorities say they have broken up a Norway-based recruitment ring that sent fighters to Iraq and Syria. | European law enforcement authorities say they have broken up a Norway-based recruitment ring that sent fighters to Iraq and Syria. |
| Officials have issued arrest warrants for 17 people in half a dozen European countries and the Middle East. | Officials have issued arrest warrants for 17 people in half a dozen European countries and the Middle East. |
| The UK’s north-east counter-terrorism unit said four men had been arrested in Britain in connection with the operation, which has been led by Italian authorities. The four were aged 32, 33, 38 and 52, and were held at addresses in Hull, Derby, Birmingham and Sheffield respectively. | |
| A spokeswoman for Nectu said: “The arrests have taken place this morning in connection with this operation under European arrest warrants. The four men will appear before Westminster magistrates court as part of the process. | A spokeswoman for Nectu said: “The arrests have taken place this morning in connection with this operation under European arrest warrants. The four men will appear before Westminster magistrates court as part of the process. |
| “We understand that people may be concerned following today’s arrests, however, we would like to reassure communities that today’s activity is as a result of an ongoing investigation which is intelligence-led. There is no evidence to suggest that communities are at risk.” | “We understand that people may be concerned following today’s arrests, however, we would like to reassure communities that today’s activity is as a result of an ongoing investigation which is intelligence-led. There is no evidence to suggest that communities are at risk.” |
| Elsewhere in Europe, six suspects were detained in Italy and three in Norway, the BBC reported. A news conference is being held on Thursday with Italy’s top anti-terrorism officials. | Elsewhere in Europe, six suspects were detained in Italy and three in Norway, the BBC reported. A news conference is being held on Thursday with Italy’s top anti-terrorism officials. |
| Norway’s security service, PST, told Norwegian media that a jailed Iraqi-born cleric and two others had been arrested on suspicion of their involvement in a terror plot in Italy. | |
| A spokeswoman said Najmaddin Faraj Ahmad, known as Mullah Krekar, and two others whom she did not name, faced a court hearing on Friday in Oslo, pending a possible deportation to Italy. | |
| Last month, Ahmad was sentenced to 18 months in jail for praising the killings of cartoonists at the French satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo, which had lampooned Islam and other religions. He was also found guilty of urging others to kill a Kurdish immigrant in Norway in the same interview with Norwegian broadcaster NRK. | Last month, Ahmad was sentenced to 18 months in jail for praising the killings of cartoonists at the French satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo, which had lampooned Islam and other religions. He was also found guilty of urging others to kill a Kurdish immigrant in Norway in the same interview with Norwegian broadcaster NRK. |
| Earlier this year, Ahmad was freed after nearly three years’ imprisonment for making death threats. The 59-year-old Kurd, who came to Norway as a refugee in 1991, was convicted in 2005 for a similar offence. | Earlier this year, Ahmad was freed after nearly three years’ imprisonment for making death threats. The 59-year-old Kurd, who came to Norway as a refugee in 1991, was convicted in 2005 for a similar offence. |
| Norway and the US have accused Ahmad of financing a defunct Iraqi Sunni insurgent group called Ansar al-Islam. It reportedly merged with Islamic State last year. | Norway and the US have accused Ahmad of financing a defunct Iraqi Sunni insurgent group called Ansar al-Islam. It reportedly merged with Islamic State last year. |
| Giuseppe Governale, a spokesman for the carabinieri military police, said the investigation monitored online conversations with members of the cell, who were spread out across Britain, Finland, Germany, Greece, Italy, Norway and Sweden. | Giuseppe Governale, a spokesman for the carabinieri military police, said the investigation monitored online conversations with members of the cell, who were spread out across Britain, Finland, Germany, Greece, Italy, Norway and Sweden. |