Two brothers arrested in France over ‘deadly and antisemitic’ plot
PARIS, France (AFP)—A 22-year-old engineering student and his 20-year-old brother have been arrested in France over a “deadly and antisemitic” plot, anti-terror prosecutors said on Sunday.
The two brothers, who are of Italian and Moroccan nationality, were arrested on Tuesday in northern France, said the national anti-terror prosecutor’s office (PNAT).
The brothers, identified only as Elyasse H and Moad H, were arrested near a prison in the northern town of Longuenesse.
Inside their vehicle, police officers discovered a semi-automatic weapon, a bottle of hydrochloric acid, aluminium foil and a flag of the jihadist Islamic State group stretched across the headrest of the driver’s seat.
While in police custody, the brothers admitted that “they had been planning a terror attack in France for which they aspired to martyrdom”, the PNAT stated.
The men had been radicalised and exposed to “jihadist propaganda”, the statement said.
Prosecutors said that the analysis of the seized materials indicated that the two brothers have been radicalised over the past two years and had taken steps towards committing “a terror plot whose deadly and antisemitic nature appears to be established.”
The prosecutors said that the brothers had allegedly plotted to commit a crime in France because it was not possible to travel to Syria or Palestine to “wage jihad”.
A video pledging allegiance to the Islamic State group, made by Moad H. earlier this month, was also discovered.
He appears to be “in contact with several individuals who are radicalised or under investigation or convicted of a terrorist offence”, the PNAT said.
“Exchanges with various contacts via encrypted messaging services in the days and weeks leading up to their arrests, aimed in particular at sourcing handguns or assault rifles, suggest that a violent act was imminent,” the statement added.
The brothers arrived in France with their parents in 2017.
An investigation was opened on Sunday into criminal conspiracy to commit terrorism, as well as the acquisition and carrying of weapons. The prosecutor’s office has requested that the two brothers be charged and remanded in custody.
