The law must be fulfilled – ‘dura lex, sed lex’ – it is harsh, but it must be obeyed. Justice must prevail. We have the best institutional relationship with the Judiciary Police and the Public Prosecutor’s Office. There is an ongoing process, naturally everyone is innocent until proven guilty, and we hope for justice to be served in this case,” stated Luís Miguel Carrilho during the 151st anniversary of the Leiria District Command of the PSP.
The national director noted that the Public Security Police is “composed of 20,000 people” and has a “strong internal and external control.”
“The PSP will continue to partner with other security forces and services and judicial authorities to always increase the population’s safety,” he emphasized.
The commander of the Municipal Police of Lisbon initiated a disciplinary process against a PSP officer detained by the Judicial Police today, who allegedly belonged to a violent far-right movement in Portugal, a police source revealed.
The officer, a PSP chief who was on secondment to the Lisbon Municipal Police, is one of the six members of the so-called Movimento Armilar Lusitano (MAL) arrested by the Judiciary Police on suspicions of terrorist activities.
According to the Judiciary Police, the six MAL members were detained for crimes and offenses related to terrorist groups and activities, discrimination, incitement to hatred and violence, and possession of prohibited weaponry.
In a statement, the Judiciary Police reported that they launched an operation to execute 15 search and seizure warrants (both domiciliary and non-domiciliary), leading to the arrest of six individuals in flagrante delicto.
During the “Disarm 3D” operation, various types of explosive material, firearms (some produced via 3D printing), multiple 3D printers, dozens of rounds of ammunition, several edged weapons, and computer equipment, among other evidence, were seized.
Responding to the statements of the Judiciary Police’s national director, who expressed concern over the rise of radical and violent far-right movements in Portugal, such as the armed group dismantled today, Luis Miguel Carrilho highlighted that the PSP is “present throughout the national territory,” with a “great responsibility in terms of prevention.”
“We work with the community, at the levels of School Safety, Elderly in Safety, Significant Blue, Commerce, and our interaction with the community is so that we can live in safety, in freedom, where the right to demonstration and freedom of expression are always present,” he stated.
However, he emphasized that “everything that threatens the peace and security of the population concerns the PSP regarding prevention and the security system.”
“But we also contribute to repression and criminal investigation when prevention is not possible, and in this respect, we work together with all services and security forces,” Luís Miguel Carrilho stressed.
For the national director, the goal of the security forces is to ensure “there is freedom, but there is also security.”
“Freedom and security are very important. Therefore, we must allow the institutions within the democratic rule of law to do their work, and the officers of the Public Security Police will do everything to contribute to the population’s freedom and security,” he concluded.
