Brazil holds terror suspects

Brazil held 10 presumed Islamist militants in isolation cells at a maximum security jail as police combed their computers and mobile phones for information about possible threats to next month's Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

Brazil's Justice Minister Alexandre Moraes said after the arrests on Thursday that the men formed a disorganised group of "amateurs" who contacted each other via social media and had little clue of how to become terrorists. His statements, however, did not go down well at ABIN, Brazil's intelligence agency, or the Federal Police.

Security officials and experts said that such groups reflect the growing efforts by Islamic State and other radical organisations to attract would-be militants through social media and internet platforms.