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Austrian police arrest 5 suspected jihadists

Xinhua, March 27, 2015 Adjust font size:

Five suspected jihadists were arrested in separate police raids here and in Lower Austria on Thursday, the Kronen Zeitung newspaper reported.

Two Chechen nationals aged 28 and 31 years old, who allegedly left Austria in the summer of 2013 and September 2014 respectively to take part in Islamic State activities in Syria and Iraq, were arrested in their apartments in Krems an der Donau in Lower Austria.

The "Cobra" special forces police raided the apartments at 4:30 a.m. (0330 GMT), and seized computers as well as a gas pistol. It is as yet uncertain why they returned from their alleged jihadist activities.

In Vienna, another raid took place at almost the same time, with three other Chechens arrested in an apartment, due to alleged ties to a terrorist organization.

Early reports indicated the three suspects had not taken part in jihadist activities abroad, but rather had been radicalized and were planning to soon make the trip to Syria to engage in such activities.

All suspects are now in police custody. Endit