Armed neo-Nazi groups arrested in Brazil

Members of groups found in possession of anti-Semitic propaganda, rifles, and explosive devices

Yael Levy

Published: 05.22.09, 00:16 / Israel News

Brazilian police have arrested members of two neo-Nazi groups in the southern city of Porto Alegre. The members were found to be in possession of propaganda against Jews and blacks, as well as automatic rifles and explosive devices.

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"Israel's ambassador to Brazil is following the case closely," said Alex Ben-Zvi, who heads the Foreign Ministry's Latin America Division. "We are currently unaware of whether the gangs were planning to attack Jewish institutions."

The groups entered the limelight during an investigation involving the murders of two of their members in an underground power struggle. Police are currently investigating their possible links to other such groups in the country and continent.

"The media here is reporting that the groups planned to attack one of the several synagogues in the city," Mimi Libro, of Porto Alegre's Chabad center, told Ynet.

She says the Jewish community in the area, which numbers around 10,000 people, received the news with relative apathy.

"The Jewish Federation didn't even contact us about it," she said. "You can say they are keeping this very low profile. There is certainly talk about it in the community, but people are not changing their lifestyles in any way at all. In any case we have guards at the synagogues every Friday and Saturday.

She said crime was a commonplace occurrence in the city. "Every time we leave the house we have to hide our valuables and go with God, because the crime level here is very high," she said.

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