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JOHANNESBURG (AP) — One of the South African twin brothers charged with plotting to blow up the U.S. embassy in Pretoria, allegedly asked the Islamic State group to send money and provide training for them to carry out a suicide bombing campaign in the country.
The allegation is contained in an affidavit presented at the Johannesburg magistrate's court on Friday to show that prosecutors had enough evidence to arrest Brandon-Lee and Tony-Lee Thulsie for planning terror attacks in South Africa.
"Liaison with a foreign law enforcement agency that a person using the pseudonym Simba (Tony-Lee Thulsie) was in regular communications with persons outside of the country with strong link to ISIL," the affidavit says. "Simba began discussing a timeline for himself to carry out an attack in South Africa. Simba requested information on how to create a device. He indicated that he had people in mind for the attack and that he intended to blow himself up in that attack."
The prosecution also presented documents including photographs of the twins wearing suicide vests, according to reports in South African media.
The twin brothers are among four people arrested earlier in July for plotting to attack several targets including the U.S. embassy in Pretoria and various Jewish institutions.
Two other suspects, siblings Fatima and Ibrahim Mohammed Patel, were found in possession of a stun grenade and ammunition in a raid on their home outside Johannesburg.
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