Police have arrested two students in Sibiu on suspicion of planning a terrorist attack. Mohammed Ramzan and Mohammed Adeel, both from Paksitan, are studying at the Lucian Blaga University in Sibiu under the Erasmus exchange program.

A spokesperson from Romania's intelligence services (SRI) said that two foreign nationals had been arrested and detained ahead of deportation due to the threat they presented to national security. Media reports suggest that the two suspects are connected with an extremist group affiliated to Al-Qaeda and that they were planning an attack during the upcoming holiday season.

The dean and students from the university have expressed shock at the arrests, saying that the two were hard working and had never caused any problems. One of the suspects, Mohammed Ramzan, aged 30, had been in Romania for some time studying for a PhD in agriculture, the second, Mohammed Adeel, aged 19, had only been in the country for two months and was an engineering student.

The two suspects have ten days in which they can appeal the judgment, which, according to the authorities is deportation from Romania and a ban from reentering the country for 15 years. The university has indicated that it will cooperate fully with the SRI investigation.

editor@romania-insider.com