Suspected terror cell accused of UK plot 'smuggled 600 immigrants into Europe’

Held in Italy: Terror suspect Hakim Nasiri EPA
EPA
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Members of a suspected terror cell accused of targeting the UK smuggled 600 immigrants into Europe at €5,000 per head, according to reports.

Gulistan Ahmadzai, 29, from Afghanistan, was recorded by police boasting of his people smuggling.

Another member of the alleged cell, Hakim Nasiri, is facing terrorism charges after being photographed outside the Shard and on a train in south-east London. He was also pictured holding an assault rifle in a supermarket believed to be in England.

Police believe Nasiri was part of a five-strong terror gang scouting potential terror targets including London hotels and restaurants.

In telephone intercepts recorded by police on May 5, Ahmadzai was recorded telling another trafficker identified as “Mama” that he had threatened to shoot a rival who wanted to cut his people smuggling business in the head. Ahmadzai was about to leave for Hungary when he was arrested, police said.

Ahmadzai is one of three men arrested in Italy on Tuesday. They are believed to be part of a five-man cell that was planning terror attacks in the UK, Italy and France. Two other men are wanted by police.

Ahmadzai and Zulfiqar Amjad, 24, a Pakistani, have been accused of people smuggling while Hakim Nasiri, 23, an Afghan, was facing terrorism charges.

An Italian prosecutor has said the suspects lived in Britain at some time.

In a telephone conversation recorded by police, Amjad allegedly said: “The Greek route is blocked, don’t you know that? Going from Turkey to Greece is a problem because Greece has paid Turkey to not allow illegal immigrants through.”

The gang is alleged to have had links to Islamic State and used a migrant centre in Bari as a base.

The three men had been granted refugee status in Italy which would have enabled them to take advantage of Europe’s open borders to move freely around the continent.

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