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Brazil Olympics: Ten arrested for 'plotting 'terror' | Brazil Olympics: Ten arrested for 'plotting 'terror' |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Brazilian police have arrested 10 members of a group alleged to be preparing acts of terrorism, two weeks before the start of the Olympic Games. | |
They were not members of so-called Islamic State but had tried to make contact with the group, officials said. | |
The justice minister said the group was in the planning stage of an attack and police acted as a preventative measure. | |
Alexandre Moraes described the cell as "absolute amateurs" and "ill-prepared" to launch an attack. | |
All those arrested were Brazilian and two more suspects were being sought, he said. | |
They were detained across 10 different states, and had been in contact via messaging services such as Whatsapp. | |
Group members had attempted to contact a weapons supplier in neighbouring Paraguay to get AK 47 assault rifles, but there was no evidence of any being bought. | |
An emergency meeting of the Brazilian cabinet has been called. | |
More than 80,000 police and soldiers will patrol Rio streets for the games which end on 21 August. | More than 80,000 police and soldiers will patrol Rio streets for the games which end on 21 August. |
The federal government said last week that it was releasing an extra $24m (£18m) to beef up security ahead of the Olympics. | The federal government said last week that it was releasing an extra $24m (£18m) to beef up security ahead of the Olympics. |
The International Olympic Committee recently concluded that Rio de Janeiro had overcome setbacks and was "ready to welcome the world" to the 2016 Olympics. | |
There have been fears over Rio's readiness because of building delays, the Zika virus and political crises. | There have been fears over Rio's readiness because of building delays, the Zika virus and political crises. |
Mr Moraes told a news conference there was a "minimal probability of a terrorist act during the Rio Olympics." |