LONDON: British counter-terrorism police said on Thursday they had arrested two men accused of being linked to the banned group Hezbollah, saying their investigation involved alleged activity both overseas and in Britain.
Detectives from London’s Counter Terrorism Command (CTC) arrested a 39-year-old man in north London on suspicion of being a member of a proscribed group, preparing acts of terrorism and being involved in funding for the purposed of terrorism.
A second man, 35, was arrested in west London on suspicion of being a member of a banned organization.
“Our investigation remains ongoing, but I hope that these arrests show we will take robust action against anyone here whom we suspect as being involved in terrorist activity regardless of whether their activity is focused here in the UK or elsewhere,” said commander Dominic Murphy, head of the CTC.
Police said the investigation related to the Iran-backed Lebanese movement Hezbollah which Britain outlawed in 2019 when it classified it as a terrorist group. There was no immediate threat to the public, they said.
The two men were released on police bail until mid-July.
UK police arrest two men over alleged Hezbollah links
https://arab.news/wubkg
UK police arrest two men over alleged Hezbollah links
- Police said the investigation related to the Iran-backed Lebanese movement Hezbollah which Britain outlawed in 2019
Thousands protest Slovak leader Fico over whistleblower office closure and penal code changes
- Rallies took place in 10 communities, including the capital, Bratislava
- Fico has long been a divisive figure in Slovakia and people rally often to protest his pro-Russian and other policies
BRATISLAVA: Thousands rallied across Slovakia on Tuesday to protest the latest moves by the government of populist Prime Minister Robert Fico to dismantle an independent office that protects those who report corruption and other criminal activities and amend the penal code.
Rallies took place in 10 communities, including the capital, Bratislava, where the protesters at Freedom Square had a massage for Fico: “Resign, resign.”
Fico has long been a divisive figure in Slovakia and people rally often to protest his pro-Russian and other policies.
This time, people were angered after lawmakers in Parliament loyal to Fico’s coalition government approved a plan to cancel the Whistleblower Protection Office last week despite critical responses to such a move at home and abroad.
In another controversial step, they voted to ban the use of evidence gathered from the suspects who cooperated with law enforcement authorities in exchange for a lower sentence. Such evidence cannot also be used if they lied in any other case.
A banner in the crowd read: “Fico’s government helps mafia.”
Michal Šimečka, the head of the Progressive Slovakia opposition party that organized the rally told the crowd: “Slovakia is the only country where the government approves laws to make life easier for criminals and mafia.”
“Shame, shame,” people chanted.
The opposition charged that the changes were designed to help a prominent ally of Fico, deputy speaker of Parliament Tibor Gašpar, who should face trial on charges of establishing a criminal group.
Protesters called on President Peter Pellegrini, usually an ally of Fico, to veto the changes. Pellegrini has to sign the legislation to become law, but the government has a majority to override it.
Fico’s critics claim that under his government, Slovakia is following the direction of Hungary under Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.
László Gubík, head of the Hungarian Alliance, a party that represents the 450,000 strong Hungarian minority in Slovakia, joined the anti-government protest for the first time.
