Police in Iceland have arrested four men who were suspected of targeting “various institutions of society” and “citizens of the state.”
It’s the biggest such bust since 1986 when members of the environmental group, The Sea Shepard Society, sank two whaling ships in Reykjavík harbour, in an act of eco-terrorism.
The apprehensions, in this case, follow an unprecedented investigation into an alleged terrorist plot. Karl Steinar Valsson, the national commissioner of the Icelandic police, did not reveal much about the nature of the targets, but suggested they may have included the parliament and police.
A large police operation involving 50 officers seized semi-automatic weapons, including 3D-printed ones, at nine locations, as well as “thousands” of rounds of ammunition. Local media reported that officers were exploring potential links to Nordic far-right groups.
The four arrested Icelanders, in their 20s, were caught in Kópavogur, a suburb of the capital Reykjavík and in the south-western town of Mosfellsbær in an operation led by special forces. Police have not released the nationalities of the suspects.
Talking about the investigation, Valsson said, “We are just starting some work and are seizing a large amount of phones and computers and other such things. All that work is in the very early stages. We took certain measures while we were getting the situation under control.”
“At its peak, there were about 50 police personnel who took part in the police operation. With them, we think we’ve covered what we’re investigating and don’t think there’s any danger in traveling.”
“As far as we know, this is the first time that an investigation of this type has been launched [in Iceland],” he said at a press conference. Valsson also did not rule out more arrests.
The country is generally seen as safe though mob-related violent crime has been on the rise in recent years.
–Metro Voice and wire services
