Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2024 All Rights Reserved

New arrests over radical Islam in Bulgaria

Photo: BGNES

In the Bulgarian cities of Pazardzhik, Plovdiv and Asenovgrad the Prosecution has pressed charges on 8 people over the case against followers of the “Islamic State." This way charges have been pressed against a total of 15 people. A similar operation was carried out by the Prosecution, the Agency for National Security Agency and the Interior Ministry in November last year in five Bulgarian cities. Then 7 people were arrested for preaching radical Islam mainly in the Roma neighborhoods. Now charges involve participation in a group that advocates extremist religious ideology, the creation of caliphate and resorts to war propaganda. Witnesses claim that the arrested used Facebook to spread calls for jihad and violence, and one of their comments read: 'We declare jihad and will cut the heads of captured infidels." According to the prosecution, the group sought popularity not only in Bulgaria but wanted to establish contacts with "Islamic State" and to receive funding from the organization. The circumstances surrounding the case are somewhat confusing and contradictory. The leadership of the Islamic religion in Bulgaria claims that there is no radical Islam in this country. Some experts on Islamic affairs and security experts are of the opinion that it was not a matter of radical but of political Islam and operations like those carried out in Bulgaria have become commonplace across the world. Experts also claim this country needed urgent law changes in order to avoid future risks. Even the prosecution avoided blaming the arrested of "radical Islam" and holds them responsible for preaching "anti-democratic ideology." Keeping in mind the circumstances, the actions of law enforcement authorities seem insecure. Insecure before threats for decapitating infidels... And this is mostly because of the absence of a law to criminalize activities associated with radical Islam, or political Islam, because the danger of these actions is too obvious.



Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Photo: Facebook/Bulgarian Cultural and Social Association Rodina

Bulgarians in Sydney to gather at Christmas picnic

The traditional Bulgarian Christmas picnic, organized by the Bulgarian Cultural and Social Association "Rodina - Sydney" and the Bulgarian School "Dr. Petar Beron", will take place on December 8 , 2024 in St. Leonards Park in Sydney. "We have..

published on 11/21/24 2:17 PM
Associate Professor Spas Tashev

There is a need for administrative autonomy of the regions in Albania inhabited by Bulgarians

The Bulgarian national minority in Albania is one of the largest in the country, according to data from the latest official population census. A total of 7,057 individuals identified as Bulgarians. For comparison, 23,000 people identified as Greeks,..

published on 11/18/24 2:20 PM

Starting today: Send your letter to Santa Claus in Stara Zagora

From today, residents of Stara Zagora, young and old, can send their letter to Santa Claus.  A letterbox has been set up in the foyer of the city's State Puppet Theatre to collect messages for Father Christmas. The cultural institution guarantees that..

published on 11/16/24 8:30 AM