Four of the six neo-Nazis from the Movimento Armilar Lusitano (MAL) have been placed in preventive detention, including the head of the Public Security Police (PSP), reported Expresso. The men were arrested on Tuesday for terrorist activities and incitement to hatred by the Judiciary Police (PJ) and are now subject to the strictest coercive measure.
The other two have been given the measure of periodic reporting.
The PSP chief involved, who will also remain in preventive detention, was on commission service at the Lisbon Municipal Police and was identified as one of the members of the Movimento Armilar Lusitano.
He was reportedly transferred to the Municipal Police precisely due to links with the far-right movement.
The six detainees were presented to a judge on Wednesday for the first interrogation and application of the respective coercive measures. The case involves crimes and infractions related to terrorist groups and activities, discrimination, incitement to hatred and violence, and possession of prohibited weapons.
In the context of the “Desarme 3D” operation, the Judiciary Police (PJ) stated in a communiqué, explosive materials of various types, several firearms, some of which were produced via 3D printing, various 3D printers, several dozen rounds of ammunition, edged weapons, computing equipment, among other evidence, were seized.
“The investigation resulted from the online detection of indicators of extremist manifestations by proponents of nationalist and radical and violent far-right ideologies, followers of an anti-system and conspiratorial ideology, which encouraged discrimination, hatred, and violence against immigrants and refugees,” noted the PJ.
According to the PJ, the Movimento Armilar Lusitano aimed to establish itself as a political movement supported by an armed militia.
Members of the neo-Nazi group, as reported by Expresso, used closed social media channels like Telegram. They were reportedly even planning to invade the Assembly of the Republic, according to the weekly newspaper, which cites sources connected to the process.
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