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| Czech Man Is Charged With Attempted Terrorism | Czech Man Is Charged With Attempted Terrorism |
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| A 25-year-old mechanic and loner from a small Czech town, who tried to travel to Syria in January, was charged on Tuesday with attempted terrorism, in what the authorities said was the first known case of a Czech citizen trying to join the Islamic State. | A 25-year-old mechanic and loner from a small Czech town, who tried to travel to Syria in January, was charged on Tuesday with attempted terrorism, in what the authorities said was the first known case of a Czech citizen trying to join the Islamic State. |
| “This is the first time a Czech citizen has been charged with this crime,” said David Unger, a spokesman for the regional court in Plzen, in the western Czech Republic, which will rule on the next steps of the man’s detention on Thursday. The case has stirred anxieties that homegrown Islamic radicalism may have migrated to Eastern and Central Europe. | “This is the first time a Czech citizen has been charged with this crime,” said David Unger, a spokesman for the regional court in Plzen, in the western Czech Republic, which will rule on the next steps of the man’s detention on Thursday. The case has stirred anxieties that homegrown Islamic radicalism may have migrated to Eastern and Central Europe. |
| The regional prosecutor’s office in Plzen, which is handling the case, declined to provide further details. But Respekt, an influential Czech weekly that reported on the arrest this week, said that the man — identified by the Czech news media as Jan S. — had been arrested at an international airport in Turkey after the authorities there found him carrying a plane ticket to a Turkish town near the Syrian border. | The regional prosecutor’s office in Plzen, which is handling the case, declined to provide further details. But Respekt, an influential Czech weekly that reported on the arrest this week, said that the man — identified by the Czech news media as Jan S. — had been arrested at an international airport in Turkey after the authorities there found him carrying a plane ticket to a Turkish town near the Syrian border. |
| The magazine reported that the man had told the police that he planned to enter Syria and join the Islamic State, also known as ISIS and ISIL. After Turkish authorities sent him back to the Czech Republic, he was repeatedly questioned by police officers before being arrested two weeks ago. He was initially charged with participation in an armed criminal group. | The magazine reported that the man had told the police that he planned to enter Syria and join the Islamic State, also known as ISIS and ISIL. After Turkish authorities sent him back to the Czech Republic, he was repeatedly questioned by police officers before being arrested two weeks ago. He was initially charged with participation in an armed criminal group. |
| Marian Brzybohaty, a terrorism expert from the Czech Police Academy, said it was not yet clear how the arrested man had become radicalized, or the extent to which thrill-seeking or psychological problems may have played a role. Nevertheless, he said the case had punctured the notion that the Czech Republic was immune from homegrown radicalism. | Marian Brzybohaty, a terrorism expert from the Czech Police Academy, said it was not yet clear how the arrested man had become radicalized, or the extent to which thrill-seeking or psychological problems may have played a role. Nevertheless, he said the case had punctured the notion that the Czech Republic was immune from homegrown radicalism. |
| “We don’t know whether he had psychological issues rather than having been radicalized,” Mr. Brzybohaty said. “But as we have seen in Germany and France, people like this can carry out terrorist attacks and are no less dangerous.” | “We don’t know whether he had psychological issues rather than having been radicalized,” Mr. Brzybohaty said. “But as we have seen in Germany and France, people like this can carry out terrorist attacks and are no less dangerous.” |
| The case has raised alarm in the Czech Republic, where the populist leftist president, Milos Zeman, has been warning for months about the threat of Islamic radicalism. Last year, he cautioned that Islamic State jihadists must be crushed to prevent a “super Holocaust.” | The case has raised alarm in the Czech Republic, where the populist leftist president, Milos Zeman, has been warning for months about the threat of Islamic radicalism. Last year, he cautioned that Islamic State jihadists must be crushed to prevent a “super Holocaust.” |
| More recently, he suggested in an interview with the tabloid newspaper Blesk that Czechs should obtain guns to protect themselves against terrorists. | More recently, he suggested in an interview with the tabloid newspaper Blesk that Czechs should obtain guns to protect themselves against terrorists. |
| “If it is necessary, people will have to be ready for a situation where they will have to use those guns,” he said. “My wife has just got a gun license and has a proper revolver. So I hope she will protect me from terrorists.” | “If it is necessary, people will have to be ready for a situation where they will have to use those guns,” he said. “My wife has just got a gun license and has a proper revolver. So I hope she will protect me from terrorists.” |
| The Czech Republic would seem one of the least fertile grounds in Europe for the Islamic State to seek to recruit Islamic terrorists. During four decades of Communist leadership in Central and Eastern Europe, immigration was relatively low, and there are none of the historical grievances that have helped radicalize youth in countries like France. The country has only 20,000 Muslims, a tiny fraction of a population of roughly 10.5 million. | The Czech Republic would seem one of the least fertile grounds in Europe for the Islamic State to seek to recruit Islamic terrorists. During four decades of Communist leadership in Central and Eastern Europe, immigration was relatively low, and there are none of the historical grievances that have helped radicalize youth in countries like France. The country has only 20,000 Muslims, a tiny fraction of a population of roughly 10.5 million. |
| Immigration from Middle East countries is also low; so far this year, the Czech Republic has received 765 requests for asylum, a majority of them from Ukrainians, according to the Interior Ministry. Roughly 160 people from Iraq and Syria applied for asylum from January to June. | Immigration from Middle East countries is also low; so far this year, the Czech Republic has received 765 requests for asylum, a majority of them from Ukrainians, according to the Interior Ministry. Roughly 160 people from Iraq and Syria applied for asylum from January to June. |
| “What is extraordinary about this case is that the Czech Republic is the last place where you expect to find a homegrown Islamic radical, as there are few Muslims,” said Jaroslav Plesl, the editor in chief of Mlada Fronta Dnes, a leading Czech newspaper. “It illustrates just how powerful ISIS propaganda and ideology can be, even for a lost Czech kid living in a small town who has no known links to Islam.” | “What is extraordinary about this case is that the Czech Republic is the last place where you expect to find a homegrown Islamic radical, as there are few Muslims,” said Jaroslav Plesl, the editor in chief of Mlada Fronta Dnes, a leading Czech newspaper. “It illustrates just how powerful ISIS propaganda and ideology can be, even for a lost Czech kid living in a small town who has no known links to Islam.” |
| According to news reports, Jan S. came from Spalene Porici, about 60 miles southwest of Prague, where he had trained as a mechanic and worked for a company that makes car parts. The Czech news media reported that neighbors had been shocked by the arrest of a man they described as quiet, timid and hard-working. | According to news reports, Jan S. came from Spalene Porici, about 60 miles southwest of Prague, where he had trained as a mechanic and worked for a company that makes car parts. The Czech news media reported that neighbors had been shocked by the arrest of a man they described as quiet, timid and hard-working. |
| Local news reports also said that he was an obsessive player of video games, and that he may have become radicalized by watching Islamic State propaganda online. | Local news reports also said that he was an obsessive player of video games, and that he may have become radicalized by watching Islamic State propaganda online. |
| The news reports said he spoke neither Arabic nor English. | The news reports said he spoke neither Arabic nor English. |
| Mr. Brzybohaty, from the Czech Police Academy, said Jan S. appeared to exemplify the lost youth who turned to the Islamic State in search of a sense of identity and purpose. | |
| “Propaganda by ISIS and other terror groups target frustrated people who might know very little about Islam but are seeking a path out of their difficult life situations,” he said. “These people are very susceptible. We have fortunately no experience with terrorist attacks, but I think it’s only a matter of time.” |