Prague, July 31 (CTK) – The police are investigating the case of the first Czech who wanted to join the Islamic State (IS) terrorist organisation, was detained at an international airport in Turkey in January and now is in custody, Respekt weekly out on Monday writes.
The man faces from three to 12 years in prison of convicted.
He was not part of a group of other people, according to available information, Respekt writes.
The Czech police first investigated the man without taking him into custody.
“The decision on custody was made recently because of the fears that the man might continue in criminal activities and escape,” district court deputy chairwoman Simona Kubouskova told Respekt.
The man had an air ticket for an internal Turkish flight to the Syrian border on him when he was detained, Respekt writes.
He confessed to the Turkish police that he planned to enter Syria, which was partly controlled by IS.
The Turkish police returned the man to the Czech Republic and informed their Czech counterparts about the case.
The extremism section of the police organised crime squad (UOOZ) is dealing with the case.
The man testified that he wanted to get to Syria to join IS, Respekt writes, adding that the reason for his plan was uncertain.
The weekly knows the man’s identity, but it will not publish it since the investigation into his case is in an early phase and with respect to his family.
Since the beginning of the civil war in Syria, over 20,000 people from abroad left there to fight side by side with IS. More than 4,000 of them came from Europe, mainly Belgium, Britain, France and Germany, and the United States.
