Suspected Terrorist Who Plans To Attack Jewish Community In Argentina Arrested

UNSPLASH/Jorge ILLUSTRATION FernZ Salas

JAKARTA - Argentine Federal Police arrested a suspected terrorist group planning an attack on a Jewish community in the city of Mendoza.

As reported by Reuters on Saturday, August 17, Argentina's security authorities said seven members of the group suspected of being arrested in separate raids on the homes of suspected terrorists. From the raid, the team confiscated firearms, knives and electronic devices.

The raid is said to be related to the arrests in Argentina in January of three Syrian and Lebanese nationals suspected of carrying out a terrorism plot.

"We will get rid of any criminals who intend to spread fear in Argentina and they will pay for it," Security Minister Patricia Bullrich wrote on social media.

Argentina has the largest Jewish population in Latin America. The 1994 attacks on Jewish community centers killed 85 people and became the deadliest incident in South American country's history.

The attack on the Israeli embassy in 1992 killed 22 people.

Libertarian president Javier Milei, a staunch supporter of the Jewish and Israeli communities, last month pledged to strengthen national intelligence systems to prevent future attacks.