Czech spy agency: Money to terror group sent from country

PRAGUE – The Czech Republic's counter-intelligence agency says it is aware of at least one case of a terror group being funded from the country.

The agency, known as BIS, would not name the group. It also would not confirm local media reports identifying it as the Islamic State group.

Agency spokesman Ladislav Sticha declined to give details, saying disclosure of the "very sensitive information" would threaten the agency's long-term operations.

It is a crime in the Czech Republic punishable by up to 12 years in prison to finance terrorism.

Last year, the agency said in its annual report that seven Muslims who were in the Czech Republic for an unspecified period of time left in 2015 with the aim of joining extremist groups in Syria, especially Islamic State militants.