Albania arrests man over social media calls to kill Israelis

TIRANA, Albania (AP) - An Albanian man has been arrested for allegedly using social media to call for the killing of Israelis, police said Thursday.

The 39-year-old man was arrested at his home in the village of Koxhaj, about 30 kilometers (18 miles) west of the capital, Tirana, following an investigation that began in January, police said.

The man was charged with terrorism offenses and hate crimes. Authorities didn't immediately provide further details. If convicted, the man faces up to 10 years in prison.

In 2018 in neighboring Kosovo, a court sentenced eight men to prison on terrorism charges for plotting to attack Israel's national soccer team and fans during a match in Albania in 2016.

Both Albania and Kosovo have toughened anti-terror laws in the last five years.