Londoner brother of ISIS killer Jihadi John’s pals is arrested in Portugal
POLICE in Portugal have arrested the London-based brother of two IS fighters who were associates of Jihadi John.
Romulo Rodrigues da Costa is reported to have been held by anti-terror cops in Sintra on Sunday night.
He operated in London as a music producer and IS recruiter, reports said. His Portuguese-born brothers Celso and Edgar were radicalised in London after travelling to Britain to seek careers as professional footballers.
They married sisters Reema and Zara Iqbal from Canning Town, East London, before fleeing to Syria where they were reportedly killed in combat this year.
Jihadi brides Reema, 30, and Zara, 28, who joined terror group ISIS more than five years ago, were stripped of their British citizenship in March, following the Home Office's decision on Shamima Begum.
Former Harrods sales assistant Celso, who claimed to have had a trial with Arsenal, fronted an ISIS propaganda video where he boasted of celebrating the Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha by slaughtering infidels.
Masked executioner Jihadi John, who was tracked down and killed by a US drone strike in November 2015, was responsible for taking part in the murders of seven western hostages and at least 22 Syrians in sick ISIS propaganda videos.
Portugal's judicial police said in a statement: “As part of a criminal investigation involving terrorist crimes, and more specifically the participation of Portuguese citizens in the ranks of Islamic State, a police operation was carried out to secure the arrest of an individual suspected of having provided support to combatants of that terrorist organisation.
“The police operation occurred in the early hours of June 16, and a residential search was carried out where the suspect was located.
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“The person in question has been based in the United Kingdom for several years where he has allegedly carried out work for the Islamic state, namely work to support and facilitate the movement of other Portuguese people to Iraq and the north of Syria.
“This investigation, which is still ongoing, is essentially limited to those residing within Portugal.”
The statement added: “The defendant was taken to court for questioning on June 17 and was remanded in prison.”
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