Ansar al-Khilafah Brazil

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Ansar al-Khilafah Brazil
Foundation2016
Dates of operation2016–2018
Dissolved2018
AllegianceIslamic State
Ideology
StatusDefunct
Opponents
  • United States
  • Brazil

Ansar al-Khilafah Brazil (Portuguese: Ansar al-Khilafah Brasil, Arabic: أنصار الخلافة البرازيل, romanizedAnṣār al-khilāfah al-Barāzīl, lit.'Supporters of the Caliphate of Brazil') was a loosely knit and disorganized terror cell and organization that had connections to the Islamic State.[1]

History[edit]

The group gained prominence in 2016 after pledging their allegiance to the Islamic State group and threatening the 2016 Olympic Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.[2][3] Through Telegram, the group would disseminate Islamic State propaganda in Portuguese, this included the 14 issues of the Islamic State online magazine, Dabiq.[4]

In the same month of the threats, 10 members of the group would be arrested in conspiracy of the threat.[5]

In September 2016, 8 more members would be arrested for their support of the Islamic State and planning on an attack against Brazil, with one of the members buying an AK-47 from Paraguay, 4 more would be under investigation.[6]

In 2018, the group attempted to re-establish itself as a sleeper cell, but all 11 members were arrested after WhatsApp messages between them were leaked to the Brazilian police.[7]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Brazilian Jihadist group first in South America to pledge allegiance to Isis". The Independent. 2016-07-18. Retrieved 2023-11-21.
  2. ^ "Brazil probes Olympics threats after group backs Islamic State". Reuters. 2016-07-20. Retrieved 2023-11-21.
  3. ^ Boykoff, Pamela (2016-07-21). "Rio Olympics: Brazil weighs jihadi threats". CNN. Retrieved 2023-11-21.
  4. ^ Gunaratna, Rohan (2016). "Global Terrorism Mid-Year Review 2016". Counter Terrorist Trends and Analyses. 8 (7): 3–8. ISSN 2382-6444.
  5. ^ Bowater, Donna (2016-07-21). "Brazil police arrest 10 in alleged Isil Rio Olympics terror plot". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2023-11-21.
  6. ^ "Brazil Files Terrorism Charges Against 8 for IS Support". Voice of America. 2016-09-16. Retrieved 2023-11-21.
  7. ^ "Brazil charges 11 people with attempting to establish Isis cell". The Guardian. 2018-05-17. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2023-11-21.