Portugal : A Moroccan national charged with terrorism offenses

A Moroccan national was arrested in Germany and extradited to Portugal, the Portuguese prosecutor’s office announced on Friday, reported AFP. The Portuguese public prosecutor has charged the individual of several counts : «joining a terrorist organization, another of forgery for the purpose of terrorism and four crimes of using fake documents for financing terrorism», said the Portugal news.

The arrestee is identified as Abdessalam Tazi, a 64-year-old man accused also of radicalizing young Moroccans in a refugee center, said the Portuguese public prosecutor in a statement.

The Moroccan national was the subject of a European arrest warrant issued by the Portuguese authorities. He had been arrested in Germany and was handed over to Portugal last year.

This former Moroccan policeman had lived in the region of Aveiro (north). In October 2013, he was granted asylum in Portugal. Moreover, the investigators suspected him of having recruited a young compatriot, Hicham El-Hanafi, 27 years old. The latter had been arrested in Marseille, where he was about to carry a terrorist attack.