The 31-year-old from Arlesheim, in the canton of Basel-Country, is a Muslim convert who calls himself Abdullah and has close links to the Swiss Islamic Central Council (CCIS), wrote Blick on Thursday.

 

He was known to police as a potential Isis sympathizer since sending a private message on Facebook shortly after the terror attack on Paris last November in which he said France “deserved” the atrocity that killed 130 people, said the paper.

 

“There should be more attacks on that dirty country,” he wrote.

 

Speaking to Blick, the man said armed police carried out a dawn raid on his flat and seized 800 grams of red phosphorus, a substance that can be used to make explosives.

 

Objecting to the seizure, Abdullah said he bought the phosphorus legally online and was interested in making bombs after seeing a film on the subject. 

 

He had already experimented with the substance in a forest and had posted videos of his activity online.

 

However his interest was “purely scientific”, he told Blick. 

 

“I have less and less sympathy for Isis,” he added. 

 

The federal public prosecutor confirmed to the paper that the raid took place and chemical material was seized.  

 

Proceedings have been opened against him for violating the Swiss ban on terror groups including Isis.

 

The CCIS later said it was suspending the man, reported news agencies.