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CRIME

Swiss probing 11-year-old over Islamist posts: media

Swiss police are investigating an 11-year-old boy believed to have been radicalised by Islamic extremists -- the youngest person ever to be involved in such a case in Switzerland, media reported Friday.

Swiss probing 11-year-old over Islamist posts: media
The boy is the youngest person ever to be involved in such a case in Switzerland, media reported Friday. Photo: GABRIEL MONNET/AFP.

Swiss broadcasters RTS and SRF reported that police in the southern Swiss canton of Wallis had questioned the boy in June.

He was questioned in connection with “racist and discriminatory content” posted on social media, they said, citing the cantonal juvenile court.

The child reportedly admitted to having had contact with people involved in extremist movements abroad.

The court had not identified the extremist movements in question, but RTS and SRF said they had obtained information indicating they were Islamist and Jihadist groups.

Prior to this case, Islamist extremist cases on record in Switzerland have never involved anyone younger than 14, the broadcasters reported.

Wallis authorities have reportedly opened a juvenile case against the child, whose nationality was not divulged.

The juvenile court had stressed that the level of radicalisation had yet to be established and that the boy enjoyed the presumption of innocence.

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CRIME

Swiss police arrest man for pouring petrol on synagogue

Swiss police said on Sunday they have arrested a man with mental health issues for allegedly dousing a synagogue in the city of Zurich with petrol.

Swiss police arrest man for pouring petrol on synagogue

According to the Zurich municipal police’s initial investigations, the 32-year-old Swiss national “acted alone and no extremist motives have been put forward” for the attack.

The suspect spilt petrol at the synagogue’s entrance on Saturday evening, before being surprised by a member of the Jewish place of worship’s security services.

After the man fled the scene on foot, the police launched a manhunt for the suspect, arresting him early on Sunday morning.

The police added that the suspect “appears to be mentally disturbed”.

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