Argentina Police arrest 7 members of Islamic terror group for planning attacks on Jewish targets

Arrests come shortly after 30th anniversary of AMIA Jewish community center bombing

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Argentina’s Federal Police (PFA) announced that they arrested seven people suspected of being members of an “anti-Christian” and “anti-Jewish” Islamist terror group.

The group was reportedly planning attacks in the western province of Mendoza and had communicated with each other using chat messaging groups like WhatsApp and Telegram.

“Based on anti-Christian and anti-Jewish expressions, they disseminated via Telegram and WhatsApp messages planning attacks against the western community in Mendoza with content linked to terrorist organisations such as Islamic State and the Taliban Emirate of Afghanistan,” the PFA said in a statement.

The PFA conducted raids against the group, leading to the “seizure of firearms, bladed weapons and electronic devices,” as well as “Salafist literature.”

The Salafi movement in Islam is a fundamentalist Sunni renewal movement that aims to return to the ideals of the earliest generations after Muhammed. They generally reject later interpretations of the Quran and Hadith, and Western society in general. Many modern jihadist terror organizations have been birthed from Salafist movements, although not all Salafists believe in the need for political jihad.

The police said the members of the group were planning active attacks on Jewish targets, including a journalist and synagogues.

Argentina's National Security Minister Patricia Bullrich posted a message about the raid to her 𝕏 account.

7 TERRORISTAS ¡AFUERA!

Planeaban atentados en Mendoza. En 8 allanamientos la PFA desmanteló una peligrosa organización vinculada a un grupo terrorista radical islámico, identificado tras amenazar a un periodista de la comunidad judía. Esta organización usaba las redes para… pic.twitter.com/f0NMhBxwGA
— Patricia Bullrich (@PatoBullrich) August 16, 2024

“They were planning attacks in Mendoza. In 8 raids, the PFA dismantled a dangerous organization linked to a radical Islamic terrorist group, identified after threatening a journalist from the Jewish community. This organization used the networks to spread hate messages, attack plans and content from terrorist groups such as the Islamic State and the Taliban Movement,” Bullrich wrote on 𝕏.

“We are going to get rid of each and every one of these criminals who try to sow fear in Argentines and they will pay.”

Reports in the Argentinian press said the investigation and raids were named “Operation Salafist Brothers,” named after the fundamentalist Sunni movement.

The arrests also come shortly after the 30th anniversary of the bombing of the AMIA Jewish community center in Buenos Aires which killed 85. That operation was carried out with the participation and planning of Iranian and Hezbollah operatives.

Argentina has the largest Jewish population of any country in South America and the new president, Javier Milei, has been outspoken in his support for Israel and vowed to take action against Iran for its role in the AMIA bombing.