Three returning Islamic State terrorists arrested by the authorities in North Macedonia

In a police raid carried out by the Ministry of Interior (MOI) of North Macedonia, in cooperation with the National Security Agency (NSA), and by order of the Basic Public Prosecutor’s Office for Prosecuting Organised Crime and Corruption (BPPO-POCC), three terrorists who organized themselves upon Islamic State model and have conspired terrorist actions, were arrested yesterday.

During the arrests, explosive belts were also found. The arrested had fought for the Islamic State in the Middle East and had been jailed in North Macedonia on charges of terrorism, informed MOI and BPPO-POCC.

MOI has filed criminal charges to BPPO-POCC against B.A. (aged 28) from Kumanovo but with a residence in Skopje, for “terrorist organization” and “terrorism” including charges against B.A (aged 22) and E.Lj (aged 25), both from Kumanovo, for the same felonies.

B.A., V.A., and E.Lj. are returnees, who were charged for “Participation in a foreign army, police, paramilitary or parapolice formations” and were legally convicted and imprisoned.

They have acquired large quantities of weapons, ammunition, and military equipment, which was hidden close to the local road between the villages Biljanovce and Pchinja near Menkova Koliba.

During yesterday’s police action, which was conducted after receiving confidential information, the police found: 5 automatic rifles, 1 machine gun, 18 rounds for an automatic rifle with 30 bullets each, rifle cartridge with 15 bullets, three wooden rifle buttstocks, tactical wooden rifle buttstocks, three grenades for a rocket launcher RD 40mm, five grenade fuses for a rocket launcher, two balaclavas, two hats with black and grey colors, two pairs of gloves, two tactical vests, four camo tactical vests, a flag with written Arabic letters (ISIS), and a scarf with Arabic writing.

The police also conducted four raids in the homes of the arrested, in Kumanovo and Skopje, and found two explosive belts, metal balls attached to cardboard, two fuses for hand grenades improvised for ignition of the belts, two handheld radios, two laptops, nine mobile phones, tactical uniforms, two tactical knives, an Audi A3, etc.

Source: Meta