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Brazil Police Probing Lawyer's Alleged Links to Terror

Brazilian federal police have seized documents, computers and flash drives from a lawyer in Brasilia suspected of terror links, local media reported.

Police said in a statement that the investigation was classified and that they were responding to a warrant to search and seize documents that may have been falsified. 

The documents were stamped with the seal of the federal police, where lawyer Marcelo "Salahuddin" Bulhoes dos Santos once worked.

But press reports said Santos, who has represented Muslim clients in Brazil, is also being probed for alleged links to extremist groups.

Brazilian law does not classify terrorism as a crime.

The Senate is due to vote next week on an anti-terror bill.

Early Friday, hooded men from tactical operations and anti-bomb teams scoured the lawyer's Brasilia home that also serves as his office, with bomb-sniffing dogs.

Santos calls himself Marcelo Salahuddin on social websites, after the celebrated sultan of Egypt and Syria who fought the European Crusaders in the 12th century.

He is due to present himself at the police station for questioning, prosecutor Mauro Lustosa told reporters.

Santos previously worked in general coordination of the international criminal police, an Interpol branch at the Brazilian federal police, from 2008 to 2010.

Source: Agence France Presse


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