(MENAFN- Swissinfo) Two teenagers in canton Schaffhausen in northern Switzerland have been arrested on suspicion of supporting the terrorist organisation Islamic State (IS). Authorities are also investigating whether they were planning attacks using explosives.

This content was published on April 13, 2024 - 14:35 2 minutes Keystone-SDA

The detainees are a 15-year-old Swiss national and a 16-year-old Italian, the Schaffhausen public prosecutor's office said on Saturday. The aim of the investigation is to clarify their exact intentions.

Specifically, they are suspected of involvement with or support for the banned terrorist organisation IS, as well as preparing acts of intentional homicide. According to the public prosecutor's office, links to arrests made in Germany are also being investigated.

+ Read more: how the heightened IS terror threat affects Switzerland

The two young men were detained over the Easter weekend in canton Schaffhausen, public prosecutor Peter Sticher told the Swiss news agency Keystone-SDA.

Before making the arrests, authorities had been in contact with the Swiss federal intelligence services as well as the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) of Switzerland.

Translated from German by DeepL/dos

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