Swiss federal prosecutor files charges for intent to blow up ATMs

Federal prosecutor files charges for explosives offenses Keystone-SDA

The Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland has filed charges with the Federal Criminal Court against five men for explosives offenses. They allegedly planned to blow up and rob ATMs in Switzerland.

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Four of the accused were arrested in July 2023 as part of a police operation in Strengelbach after breaking into a house. When the emergency services discovered explosives, additional forces were called out and the surrounding buildings were evacuated; 40 people therefore had to spend the rest of the night in a gym.

The Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland announced on Thursday that the four people involved were a 27-year-old Spaniard, a 23-year-old Dutch national, a 32-year-old with dual Dutch-Turkish citizenship and a 25-year-old Kosovar.

In the further course of the proceedings, a fifth suspect was also identified and an international alert was issued for his arrest. This is a 30-year-old Albanian, the OAG writes further. All five defendants are currently serving early sentences.

The OAG accuses the five of having jointly manufactured three unconventional explosive and incendiary devices in a barbershop in Strengelbach. They are also alleged to have stored further explosives in the barbershop, which they intended to use to manufacture a fourth explosive and incendiary device, according to the indictment.

The indictment also suggests that the suspects procured various pyrotechnic items and other necessary materials and brought them from France to Switzerland. They presumably intended to blow up ATMs. In the days before their arrest, they had scouted out over ten ATMs in Switzerland, according to the OAG.

Translated from German by DeepL/jdp

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