Swiss police said on Friday they had arrested five suspected Islamic militants accused of running Internet sites that showed hostages being executed in Iraq and gave instructions on how to make bombs and carry out attacks.
The suspects, arrested on Feb. 22 in Fribourg and Berne cantons, are under investigation for "public incitement to crime and violence and support to a criminal terrorist organisation," the Swiss attorney general’s office said in a statement.
Three have since been released while investigations continue but two remain in custody, attorney general spokesman Peter Lehmann said.
A Web site with videos showing hostages being executed was closed down before the police raids, the statement said. Videos and sound recordings as well as large volumes of texts in Arabic were seized.
Switzerland has asked another unnamed country for judicial assistance in closing down another Internet site, it added.
The five are from Tunisia and Belgium, and were residing legally in Switzerland.
In the first half of 2004, 10 people were arrested in Switzerland on allegations of having provided logistical support to al Qaeda for deadly attacks carried out in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in May 2003.

Reuters - Geneva
04 - 03 - 2005