Court receives case file on suspect arrested trying to reach Syria

The first Czech to allegedly have tried to join the terrorist organisation Islamic State has been remanded in custody since July 20, the Czech News Agency reported on Monday, saying he was being investigated on charges of trying to join a criminal organization. The suspect has filed an appeal against being held in custody; the Regional court in Plzeň will review the decision. If the suspect faces trial and is found guilty, he could face up to 12 years behind bars. The weekly Respekt reported on Monday that the man had been arrested in January in Turkey, bound for Syria. The suspect, a Plzeň resident, is not believed to have been part of a larger group.

Author: Jan Velinger