SAO PAULO, July 21 (UPI) — Brazilian police arrested at least 10 suspects who had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State and were allegedly planning an attack on Rio de Janeiro during the Olympics.
The suspects allegedly belonged to a group called Defenders of Sharia and may have had online contact with members of the IS, also called ISIS, ISIL and Daesh. The arrests were made in Brazil’s southern city of Parana.
Brazil’s Justice Ministry said arrest warrants have been issued for two other suspects. An investigation that included wiretaps found communications that supported firearms and guerrilla tactics to carry out the attack, Bloomberg News reported.
Justice Minister Alexandre de Moraes said the group celebrated the recent attacks in Nice, France, and Orlando, Fla.
“An order went out in the group to start martial arts training, training of munitions and firearms, so they could realize some specific attack, which hasn’t yet been determined,” Moraes said.
Interim President Michel Temer called an emergency cabinet meting.