On 28 September 2026, the Agency for National Security, in coordination with the Ministry of Interior and the Basic Public Prosecutor’s Office for Prosecution of Organized Crime and Corruption, undertook measures to suppress the activities of identified individuals of security interest suspected of having committed criminal offences under Article 394-b of the Criminal Code – Terrorism, and Article 396 of the Criminal Code – Unauthorized Manufacturing, Possession and Trafficking in Weapons or Explosive Substances.

As part of the operational action, a total of five individuals were detained. Searches were conducted at several locations in the area of Skopje, namely in the village of Singelić, Čair and the village of Brest. During the searches, quantities of illegal weapons, including pistols, automatic rifles, ammunition, tactical vests and other equipment, as well as propaganda material of the international terrorist organization “Islamic State”, computer units used for cryptocurrency mining, and other documentation were found and seized.

The group in question is a religious-radical group linked to transnational criminal organizations and associated with acts of violence, extortion, kidnapping, usury, illicit drug trafficking, arms trafficking, and other criminal activities. The Islamic radical element is a common characteristic among most members of the group, namely, they are ideological followers of radical imams who support and advocate for international terrorist organizations. Furthermore, some of the arrested individuals have close ties with foreign terrorist fighters from the country and the region.

The indoctrination of young individuals by prominent members of the group is a modus operandi that is used continuously. Religious facilities where radical Islam is practiced, as well as online radicalization, represent initial triggers for the recruitment of young individuals, who are later integrated into the group’s criminal activities.