Convicted Swiss IS supporter charged with further offences
The Swiss resident has already been convicted for helping Islamic State in Syria.
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A 25-year-old man, already convicted in Switzerland for supporting banned Islamic terrorist groups, is now accused of being a recruiter, propagandist and fundraiser for Islamic State and al-Qaeda.
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The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) announced further charges on Monday against the suspect who had been released from custody in 2020 for original offences.
The man had been convicted for breaching anti-terror laws after travelling to Syria to serve with IS. “The suspect exploited the prestige he had gained as a returnee from IS territory in Syria,” the OAG stated.
Since being released from prison under supervision, the man is alleged to have spread IS propaganda, including videos depicting violence, in an effort to find new recruits.
He is also charged with raising CHF9,000 ($10,000) to support families in Turkey of killed IS fighters.
Furthermore, the man is alleged to have fraudulently received CHF15,000 in welfare payments by claiming a fake accident.
The suspect will appear at the Federal Criminal Court at an unspecified date to face charges of being the ringleader of a group of IS sympathisers in the Zurich region.
“The OAG alleges that he strengthened the beliefs of various members this group that they should support IS, reinforced the group’s community spirit, and attempted to enlist new members and to enlarge the group of IS followers.”
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