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A network of Islamic State terror cells is operating across Southern Africa, according to the affidavit of a police officer in the SAPS’s crimes against the state unit.
The affidavit of Warrant Officer Wynand Olivier was handed in at the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court yesterday during the bail application of terror accused Brandon-Lee and Tony-Lee Thulsie.
The application was postponed to tomorrow when lawyer Annelene van den Heever, acting for the 23-year-old identical twins, will argue that their arrest in anti-terror raids earlier this month, and their detention, was unlawful.
Olivier’s affidavit was used in the police application for search warrants .
It purports to lift the lid on IS operations in Southern Africa, and alleges that siblings Ibrahim and Fatima Patel, also arrested in raids this month, were involved in recruiting for IS.
The four are accused of planning attacks against US and Jewish interests in South Africa using explosives, of recruitment for IS, and of providing and receiving training, of soliciting support for IS and of financing terrorism.
In his affidavit, Olivier says the police would search for material “relevant to the planning and carrying out of attacks, including identifying potential targets, maps and routes to and from the targets, and communications between individuals and IS networks.
“Material will reveal the identities and communication methods and lists containing these details and names, pseudonyms of all role-players and in particular material related to Simba, Umm Hurayra and Rachel Levi of the IS network.”
Olivier alleges that a Cape Town teenager who was stopped trying to leave the country last year appears to have been recruited “via social media” and telephonic communications with persons using the names Umm Hurayra and Rachel Levi.
“It’s been established that the persons responsible for the recruitment were using addresses in Azaadville. The addresses were occupied by Ibrahim and Fatima Patel.”
He said that after being told that an airline had refused to allow the twins and a Ronaldo Smit to fly to Turkey, he monitored them on social media and learned that they had posts promoting support for IS.
“Liaison with foreign law enforcement agencies has established that Tony-Lee Thulsie uses the pseudonym Simba and is in communication with persons outside the country with strong links to IS.”
Van den Heever said the Thulsies would ask the High Court to set aside the search warrant.