Jihadis arrested in Switzerland

"Eight foreigners have been arrested in Switzerland in connection with suicide bombings in Saudi Arabia. The detained are being held on suspicion 'of providing logistical support to a criminal organisation,' federal police said in a statement. 'The police action was in the context of terrorism investigations,' the statement added. Twenty-six people - including one Swiss citizen - and nine attackers were killed in the Riyadh bombings last May." This from the BBC, with thanks to Nicolei.

Interesting that these men thought they could hide out successfully in a quiet Western European country, although it is good news that they were wrong.

"'In the course of our inquiries related to terrorism - and in particular the attacks in Riyadh - an operation by the federal police took place simultaneously on Thursday in five cantons [regions],' Switzerland's public prosecutor said.

"Over 100 police officers took part in what is being described as Switzerland's biggest-ever nationwide operation against alleged terror suspects, the BBC's Imogen Foulkes in Bern says."

"But because of the continuing investigation, the police is declining to provide any further details. 'We are at the beginning of the investigation,' Andrea Sadecky, a spokeswoman from the Swiss Federal Prosecutor's Office, said. And 'it would not be right to say all of these people had the same religious or ethnic background,' she said."

Well, I'm sure they don't all have the same ethnic background, but it will be very interesting if Sadecky is telling the truth about their having different religions. We shall see.

Posted by Robert at January 10, 2004 7:49 AM
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