Eight Portuguese men charged with fighting for the Islamic State in Syria

Prosecutors in Portugal said Wednesday they were bringing terror charges against eight Portuguese men suspected of fighting for the Islamic State group in Syria.

Prosecutors said in a statement the men were suspected of involvement in the 2012 kidnapping by the group of British war correspondent John Cantlie and Dutch photographer Jeroen Oerlemens.

The case was opened in 2013 after Portuguese authorities received information about the kidnappings from British authorities. Over the past six years investigators have traced the radicalization and movements of the men, the statement said.

They converted to Islam and joined Islamic State group, the statement said, and traveled to Syria with their wives and children.

They are accused of joining, supporting and recruiting on behalf of a terror organization.

Two of them are in Portugal and have been interrogated, the statement said. The whereabouts of the other six wasn’t known.

Source: Daily Mail