A young Portuguese man suspected of planning attacks on schools in Brazil has been named in at least four investigations into planned crimes in the South American country, Brazilian federal police delegate Flavio Rolim Pinheiro Resende told Lusa.
“I could mention there, at least minimally, the participation [do jovem português] which is still under investigation, but also participation in four events, during which, in fact, preparatory actions took place for attacks on schools, but not only,” said Resende, responsible for the computer hate crimes unit in this department of the federal government. Brazilian police.
In an exclusive interview with Lusa, the delegate said that the 17-year-old Portuguese youth arrested in early May by the Judicial Police (PJ) in northern Portugal on suspicion of involvement in an attack on a school in the Brazilian state of Sao Paulo, which ended in the death of a student in October last year , is also suspected of being involved in another attack, foiled by Brazilian authorities, on a school in Espirito Santo.
Another investigation involving a young Portuguese man concerns a never-implemented plan to murder a homeless man in Rio de Janeiro.
He is also being investigated for his involvement in planning a crime allegedly committed in the state of São Paulo by another young Brazilian who was found responsible for online broadcasts in which animals were killed in a group on the Discord platform, and who was incited to commit murder.
The police chief stressed that within the group on the Discord platform, in which the young Portuguese man is suspected of being the leader, various crimes were committed, such as cruelty to animals, dissemination of content about the sexual abuse of minors, incitement to violence against certain groups of vulnerable people, including including physical and sexual violence, as well as the practice of inciting children and adolescents, often including self-harm.
According to the ruling of the Central Criminal Court (TCIC), which Lusa had access to in early May, the young Portuguese man, whose arrest was carried out by the SP and supported by the court, is charged with 11 crimes: one for qualified murder, five attempted murders, two for pornography minors, one for criminal association, one for public incitement to a crime and one for public support of a crime.
The Brazilian delegate said an investigation into the young Portuguese man’s alleged involvement in crimes in the South American country began after a federal police official stationed at the Brazilian Embassy in Lisbon was alerted by the National Counter-Terrorism Unit of Portugal’s Judicial Police.
Following a warning from Portuguese authorities, the federal police began to exchange information and act in collaboration with the police of different states of Brazil and realized connections, still under investigation, that could link the Portuguese suspect to other crimes planned and committed in the South American country.
“We analyzed these procedures, these facts that occurred in some states such as Sao Paulo, Espirito Santo, some had consequences in Rio de Janeiro, and ultimately came to the conclusion that this exchange of information, which initially had place between the Portuguese judicial police and the federal police could effectively identify the connection between this young Portuguese and all these facts,” he emphasized.
“It is from this point of view that the investigation was carried out to demonstrate and analyze what the connection really was and what was the involvement of the Portuguese target in each of these events that occurred on Brazilian territory,” he added.
Regarding the progress of the investigation, Resende explained that at least three young Brazilians participating in the group on the Discord platform have been detained, and two people over 18 years of age have already been arrested in Brazil.
The Brazilian delegate highlighted the cooperation signed with the Portuguese authorities and explained that although it is possible to bring a case against the young man in Brazil since the crimes were committed in the country, the intention is to gather information through separate investigations taking place in Brazil. The Brazilian State transfers this information to the Portuguese State in order to determine the share of responsibility that the suspect bears or does not bear in these events, so that he can be tried in Portugal.
“Through legal cooperation agreements, since the Portuguese target is being investigated for facts that were committed in Brazil and Portugal, the legal strategy to more effectively hold people accountable is to investigate, determine the responsibility they will bear, and share this responsibility. through this cooperation with the Portuguese jurisdiction so that he can be brought to justice,” Resende said.
“We are here [no Brasil] We have not yet named the name of the intellectual author [do jovem português] because there is still a lot to be analyzed, including getting this information from Portugal. We need to see what information was obtained during the searches, in the analyses, but we can say that there is a noticeable participation in the criminal group. [do Discord]as the leader of the group, and serious evidence of his participation in each of these events,” concluded the Brazilian delegate.