Portuguese police arrest brother of two ISIS fighters who were known associates of Jihadi John
- Romulo Rodgrigues da Costa has been held by anti-terror police in Portugal
- Brothers Celso and Edgar Rodrigues da Costa went to Syria to fight for ISIS
- Both of Romulo’s brothers are known associates of British terrorist Jihadi John
Police in Portugal have arrested the London-based sibling of two ISIS fighters who were known associates of Jihadi John.
Sisters Reema and Zara Iqbal had their UK citizenship stripped earlier this year after fleeing to Syria with their Portuguese-born husbands Celso and Edgar Rodrigues da Costa.
On Monday night it emerged Romulo Rodgrigues da Costa had been held by anti-terror police in Portugal.
Celso Rodrigues da Costa followed his older sibling Edgar to Syria to join ISIS. Their brother Romulo was arrested last week
The country’s PJ force confirmed it had held ‘an individual suspected of lending support to ISIS fighters’ in an operation which took place on Sunday.
A spokesman said: ‘A house search was carried out where the suspect was located.
‘The detainee has been based in the UK for several years.’
Both of Romulo’s brothers are known associates of Jihadi John (pictured)
Police confirmed he had been remanded in custody after appearing in court earlier on Monday.
He was named locally as Romulo Rodrigues da Costa, the sibling of well-known jihadists Celso and Edgar who Portuguese press said had been killed in combat in Syria several months ago.
Respected Portuguese weekly Expresso said he had operated in London with two different identities, one a music producer and the other an ISIS recruiter.
Reema and Zara Iqbal are said to have been part of a five-strong all-female terror cell who travelled to Syria from east London in 2013 with their husbands.
Celso and Edgar are said to have been radicalised in London after travelling to Britain to seek careers as professional footballers.
Former Harrods sales assistant Celso, who claimed to have had a trial with Arsenal, appeared in an ISIS propaganda video where he boasted of celebrating the Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha by slaughtering infidels.
The two Portuguese-born mens’ links to ISIS militant Jihadi John, killed by a drone strike in November 2015, were well documented.
It was revealed in March their wives had been stripped of their UK citizenship.
Celso and Edgar are said to have been radicalised in London after travelling to Britain to seek careers as professional footballers
The PJ statement on the arrest of Romulo Rodrigues da Costa, who was not named by Portuguese officials, said: ‘As part of a criminal investigation involving terrorist crimes, and more specifically the participation of Portuguese citizens in the ranks of Islamic State, a police operation was carried out to secure the arrest of an individual suspected of having provided support to combattants of that terrorist organization.
‘The police operation occurred in the early hours of June 16, and a residential search was carried out where the suspect was located.
‘The person in question has been based in the United Kingdom for several years where he has allegedly carried out work for the Islamic state, namely work to support and facilitate the movement of other Portuguese people to Iraq and the north of Syria.
‘This investigation, which is still ongoing, is essentially limited to those residing within Portugal.’
The statement added: ‘The defendant was taken to court for questioning on Tuesday and was remanded in prison.’