“The quality and diversity of what we apprehended was surprising,” stated Manuela Santos, director of the National Counter-Terrorism Unit (UNCT) of the Polícia Judiciária, during a press conference on the operation “Desarme 3D,” which led to the arrest of six individuals from the Movimento Armilar Lusitano (MAL).
“It was surprising to find in the group this capacity to do something with some projection, with the means they had available,” added the PJ official.
“They were arming themselves, recruiting people, and developing actions,” said Manuela Santos, highlighting that the material seized “has an origin and everything is open in that regard,” with “new lines of investigation.”
The official did not rule out the involvement of “elements from security forces and military forces” within the group.
Among the six detainees, one was an element of the PSP, with others having links to private security groups.
The wider group includes elements that “belonged to former far-right structures that ceased to exist,” like the Nova Ordem Social, founded by neo-Nazi Mário Machado.
A video distributed by the PJ included neo-Nazi books, propaganda, and 3D printers used to make weapons or modify airsoft guns to shoot lethal ammunition.
“The legal framework of this material is covered by the arms law,” explained Manuela Santos.
The searches took place across Greater Lisbon, with authorities monitoring face-to-face meetings, in an investigation that began in 2021.
“It’s not easy [to investigate], because it is a difficult environment to penetrate. These individuals are very alert” to the actions of the authorities.
Regarding the group’s classification, Manuela Santos considered that the MAL falls under “the law against terrorism” and the “violent alteration of the rule of law.”
“There was not yet a concrete plan” to “initiate a criminal action,” explained the UNCT coordinator, but emphasized that the objective was “to target the institutions,” in line with what similar groups do internationally.
The PJ official recalled the major operation by German authorities in 2022 that dismantled a group attempting to stage a coup.
“They are people from many backgrounds,” united by “discrimination based on gender identity, race, creed.”
The pandemic intensified the activity of MAL, as it did with other “anti-system groups” identified, admitted Manuela Santos, noting that “everything ends up being an argument to counter the existing system.”
Six suspects believed to be part of the so-called MAL were detained for offenses related to terrorist group activities, discrimination, inciting hatred and violence, and possession of prohibited weapons.
In a statement, the Polícia Judiciária (PJ) announced they executed an operation to carry out 15 search and seizure warrants (domiciliary and non-domiciliary), culminating in the arrest of six individuals caught in the act.
As part of the “Desarme 3D” operation, various types of explosive material were seized, along with firearms, some produced using 3D technology, several 3D printers, dozens of ammunition, bladed weapons, computer equipment, among other evidence elements.
The six detainees will be presented in court today for the first judicial interrogation of detained defendants.
