Convicted Swiss IS supporter charged with further offences
A 25-year-old man, already convicted in Switzerland for supporting banned Islamic terrorist groups, is now accused of being a recruiter, propagandist and fundraiser for Islamic State and al-Qaeda.
This content was published on
1 minute
swissinfo.ch/mga
The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) announced further charges on Monday against the suspect who had been released from custody in 2020 for original offences.
The man had been convicted for breaching anti-terror laws after travelling to Syria to serve with IS. “The suspect exploited the prestige he had gained as a returnee from IS territory in Syria,” the OAG stated.
Since being released from prison under supervision, the man is alleged to have spread IS propaganda, including videos depicting violence, in an effort to find new recruits.
He is also charged with raising CHF9,000 ($10,000) to support families in Turkey of killed IS fighters.
Furthermore, the man is alleged to have fraudulently received CHF15,000 in welfare payments by claiming a fake accident.
The suspect will appear at the Federal Criminal Court at an unspecified date to face charges of being the ringleader of a group of IS sympathisers in the Zurich region.
“The OAG alleges that he strengthened the beliefs of various members this group that they should support IS, reinforced the group’s community spirit, and attempted to enlist new members and to enlarge the group of IS followers.”
Popular Stories
More
Culture
Documentary portrays Swiss teenagers forced to return to parents’ homeland
This content was published on
Swiss artist Daniel Spoerri, known for his artworks using leftover food with dirty cutlery and crockery, has passed away in Vienna at the age of 94.
Climate change tipped to alter Swiss avalanche behviour by 2100
This content was published on
Climate change is expected to result in fewer avalanches overall in Switzerland but to increase the danger of wet snow avalanches by 2100.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Jihadist attacker gets 20 years for murder
This content was published on
The Federal Criminal Court has handed down a 20-year prison sentence to a Turkish-Swiss man who stabbed a Portuguese man to death.
Swiss authorities lose trace of two jihadists in Syria
This content was published on
The foreign ministry says it has no information on the whereabouts of two terror suspects who had been detained in northern Syria.
Islamic State suspects arrested during Swiss police raids
This content was published on
Two suspected members of Islamic State have been arrested in Switzerland as part of a series of coordinated police raids in western Switzerland.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.