A major German newspaper has reported that a group of 30 Afghans, members of the Al Qaida terrorist group, was detained on Slovak soil March 7 but later escaped, likely to Austria or the Czech Republic.
The report draws on information from Interpol, which warned in March that the Al Qaida group was trying to reach the UK through Bulgaria and Slovakia to set up a new terrorist cell and launch fresh attacks.
While the Slovak border police intercepted the Afghans near the country’s southern frontier with Hungary, they turned them over to migration officials after the group demanded political asylum. Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung reports that the Afghans shaved their heads and beards and escaped from the camp shortly before a police raid on March 12.
Slovak police confirmed that they had received such information from Interpol and that the raid occurred, but said they had no information linking the escaped migrants to Al Qaida.
Compiled by Tom Nicholson from press reports.
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
