In an operation between Brazilian authorities and the United States, four members of a neo Nazi-inspired group, who allegedly planned to attack Brazilian Jews and other residents on New Year’s Eve were detained.
One of the four suspects arrested last Thursday told authorities he was planning to set off explosives during New Year’s festivities in the southeastern state of São Paulo.
According to Brazilian newspaper O Dia, the 43-year old man was a security guard in Campinas. He allegedly recruited young people to attack a Rio de Janeiro nuclear power plant.
According to police, Matheus Hades, NS was the suspect who confessed in recorded confessions that “there’s so much wrong with the world that it is beyond what I can bear.”
Matheus Hades NS was asked what his plans were by a police officer. However, he said that he had hoped to ‘kill then commit suicide’ and added that he would save anyone ‘as soon as they are honest, decent, hardworking people. The rest of it, I’m not worried.
Brazil authorities last Thursday arrested a group of four members of a neo Nazi organization. The operation was a joint effort by Brazilian and US authorities. This group planned to attack Jewish and Black civilians as well as public locations on New Years Eve.
Homeland Security Investigations personnel based in Brasilia (the federal capital) alerted Brazilian authorities to the possibility that the hate group was using U.S. internet platforms “to call for violence towards Jewish and Black” residents. Four suspects were arrested and weapons as well as Nazi paraphernalia confiscated in a series of raids that took place across Brazil’s seven states last Thursday.
Nazi paraphernalia seized after the 31 searches that led to four arrests in Brazil. The Brazilian counterparts were alerted by U.S. authorities about a plan to launch mass casualty strikes on New Years Eve.
The three other suspects were taken into custody in the São Paulo city of Suzano and the Rio de Janeiro municipalities of Campos dos Goytacazes and Valença.
Following 31 warrant-based searches in all 50 states, authorities confiscated homemade bombs, weapons and documents containing plots to attack, as well Nazi paraphernalia.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement stated in a statement that the individuals were part of a neo Nazi cell planning to attack public areas such as schools and hate crimes against Jewish and other civilians.
The weapons and equipment were seized by alleged members of a neo Nazi group being investigated in connection to plotting attacks on Jewish and Black residents and public places.
Homeland Security Investigations personnel based in Brasilia were alerted to the fact that the hate organization was using U.S. internet platforms “to call for violence towards Jewish and Black” residents of Brazil on May 8.
PCERJ, a Rio de Janeiro cop took into custody May 12. They also discovered possible targets after searching his phone.
‘Through continued investigative collaboration, members of dangerous anti-Semitic and neo-Nazi cells were apprehended before they caused a possible mass casualty event,’ said HSI Brasilia Acting Attaché Patrick Chen. ‘The success of Operation Bergónis a prime example of the importance of international partnerships in dismantling criminal organizations that threaten public safety and innocent lives.’