A PSP officer associated with the Movement Armilar Lusitano (MAL), who was placed in preventive detention on Wednesday, was reportedly responsible for conducting face-to-face recruitment interviews for the neo-Nazi group.
The indictment states that the PSP officer, who was part of the Lisbon Municipal Police before his arrest on Tuesday, is one of the three founders of the neo-Nazi group, established in 2018. The other two founders are a truck driver, who was also arrested on Tuesday, and a private security worker.
The Public Prosecutor’s Office notes that this group shares similarities with internationally recognized groups known to authorities, some of which also had members detained and used 3D weapons. The MAL is described as an extremist nationalist movement dedicated to anti-immigration propaganda and anti-system rhetoric that incites hatred and violence against immigrants and refugees.
Amid the pandemic, the group began promoting denialist theories and later, in 2022, with the onset of the war in Ukraine, it added narratives about the economic consequences provoked by leftist governments in Europe.
Three years after the foundation of MAL, the neo-Nazi group decided in mid-2021 to start recruiting new members, with the PSP officer and the truck driver—two of the founders—using channels like ‘Telegram’ and ‘Signal’ to communicate and spread their message.
The Public Prosecutor states that hundreds of candidates were selected through forms including details like physical constitution, profession, and military aptitude. Preference was given to candidates with skills in handling weapons.
The truck driver was tasked with evaluating candidates’ profiles, while the PSP officer handled the face-to-face interviews. Preference was given to military personnel, security force agents, and private security sector individuals. If the evaluation was positive, the candidates were added to private channels.
The actions by these two defendants reportedly resulted in the creation of autonomous cells across several regions of the country, from north to south, and they began purchasing materials and equipment to produce 3D weapons.
The document indicates the organization encouraged the acquisition of weapons and tactical shooting training. The goal, the Public Prosecutor believes, was to spread rejection of state institutions, potentially leading to the elimination of the democratic rule of law.
The Judiciary Police detained six suspects on Tuesday allegedly associated with MAL, with four placed in preventive detention after appearing before a judge for coercion measures.
Four defendants are now indicted for crimes related to terrorist group offenses, carrying penalties ranging from 8 to 15 years in prison, and for terrorist offenses. All six defendants are indicted for possession of a prohibited weapon.
Under the operation ‘Desarme 3D’, explosive materials of various types, several firearms, some made through 3D printing, multiple 3D printers, dozens of ammunition rounds, various bladed weapons, and IT equipment were confiscated, among other pieces of evidence.
