Brazil authorities link bombing in the capital to extremist discourse

SAO PAULO (AP) — A Brazilian Supreme Court justice said Thursday that he believes the explosion outside the court in capital Brasilia was the consequence of frequent far-right attacks and hate speech targeting the country’s institutions.

“It grew under the guise of a criminal use of freedom of speech. To offend, threaten, coerce," Justice Alexandre de Moraes said at an event in Brasilia.

Federal Police are investigating the explosions on Wednesday as terrorism and a violent attack on the democratic rule of law, its director, Andrei Passos Rodrigues, said at a news conference later.

He said that the man had attempted to enter the Supreme Court and that it appeared that he acted alone, though the police official indicated he also was viewing the attack in the broader context of extremism.

“Even if the visible action is individual, behind that action there is never just one person. It's always a group, or ideas of a group, or extremism, radicalism, that lead to committing those crimes,” Passos Rodrigues said. “The action, in fact, was an individual action, but the investigation will tell if there are other connections, if there are other networks, what's behind it, what drove it.”

The police director also said the Supreme Court has received fresh threats via email, without specifying when.

Security camera footage provided by the Supreme Court shows the suspect approaching a statue outside the building. As a guard nears, the man throws an explosive and retreats a few steps, then throws a second device and an explosion follows. Finally, the suspect ignites a third device near to himself, causing his death.

Passos Rodrigues said that the man was a native of southern Santa Catarina state where he previously ran for city council, and had been in Brasilia several months. Police went to his Brasilia residence Thursday and used a robot to open a drawer that triggered “a very serious explosion,” he said.

Celina Leão, the lieutenant governor of Brazil’s federal district, said Wednesday night that the man first detonated explosives in a car in a Congress parking lot, which didn't cause injuries. Then he went to Three Powers Plaza, where the Supreme Court, Congress and presidential palace are located.

Local media identified the man as being a member of Brazil’s Liberal Party, the same as former President Jair Bolsonaro.

Bolsonaro has railed against the Supreme Court in the past and specifically focused his ire on de Moraes.

Bolsonaro supporters consider de Moraes their chief enemy. He has led a five-year investigation into fake news and threats against Supreme Court justices, which has led to the ban of some far-right allies and supporters from social media and even some imprisonments. He also presided over the nation’s top electoral court when it ruled Bolsonaro ineligible for office until 2030, finding that he had abused his power and cast unfounded doubts on the validity of the 2022 election result.

Bolsonaro condemned the attack on social media.

“It is high time for Brazil to once again cultivate an environment suitable for different ideas to confront each other peacefully, and for the strength of arguments to be worth more than the argument of force,” he wrote.

Some accuse de Moraes of overstepping in the name of protecting Brazilian democracy from political violence and disinformation. Others view his brash tactics as justified by extraordinary circumstances.

Months after Bolsonaro lost his 2022 election bid, his supporters stormed the main government buildings in Brasilia, seeking to oust his leftist successor, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, from power. It was widely seen as an echo of the insurrection in the U.S. Capitol two years earlier.

The Supreme Court has since convicted hundreds of those involved in the uprising for crimes such as criminal association and attempted coup.

De Moraes said Thursday that the explosions outside the Supreme Court appeared to be the most serious attack on the institution since then.

“The country’s pacification is only possible with the accountability of all criminals. There is no possibility of pacification with amnesty for criminals,” de Moraes said.

Earlier this year, de Moraes ordered a nationwide ban of X after clashing with its billionaire owner, Elon Musk, over free speech, far-right accounts and misinformation. Musk had disparaged de Moraes, calling him an authoritarian and a censor, even though his rulings, including X’s suspension, were repeatedly upheld by his peers. The platform was reinstated in October.

Brazil will host the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro next week. Passos Rodrigues said that the bombing shouldn’t raise any concerns, given that authorities are already implementing the highest level security possible, including with support of the armed forces.

“I am going this afternoon, shortly, to Rio de Janeiro, where I will personally accompany all actions so we can have the absolute guarantee of security,” he added.

A body lies on a road outside the Supreme Court in Brasília, Brazil, following an explosion, Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

A body lies outside the Supreme Court in Brasília, Brazil, following an explosion, Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

Police inspect a vehicle outside the Supreme Court in Brasília, Brazil, following an explosion, Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

Federal police director Andrei Passos speaks during a news conference regarding an explosion outside the Supreme Court, in Brasilia, Brazil, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

Federal police director Andrei Passos arrives to a news conference regarding an explosion outside the Supreme Court, in Brasilia, Brazil, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

Federal police officers inspect a body outside the Supreme Court following an explosion the previous night, in Brasilia, Brazil, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

Federal police officers inspect a body outside the Supreme Court following an explosion the previous night, in Brasilia, Brazil, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

Federal police officers inspect a body outside the Supreme Court following an explosion the previous night, in Brasilia, Brazil, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

Forensic officers collect a body outside the Supreme Court following an explosion the previous night in Brasilia, Brazil, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

Federal police officers inspect a body outside the Supreme Court following an explosion the previous night, in Brasilia, Brazil, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

Forensic officers collect a body outside the Supreme Court following an explosion the previous night in Brasilia, Brazil, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

A body lies on the ground outside the Supreme Court following an explosion the previous night, in Brasilia, Brazil, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

Federal police officers inspect a body outside the Supreme Court following an explosion the previous night, in Brasilia, Brazil, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

TURIN, Italy (AP) — There “could have been better communication” in explaining the rules involved in Jannik Sinner's doping case, ATP Tour chairman Andrea Gaudenzi acknowledged Thursday.

However, Gaudenzi said at the ATP Finals that anyone hinting that a “double standard” was applied because of top-ranked Sinner’s status is “unfair because the rules have been the same.”

Sinner is playing at home this week for the first time since it was announced before his U.S. Open title that he tested positive for an anabolic steroid in two separate drug tests in March.

The case wasn't made public until August.

“I learned the day before we all learned,” Gaudenzi said in his first public comments on the case. He spoke in a round-table discussion with international reporters.

“And to be honest, I’m happy about that. I really thank the ITIA (International Tennis Integrity Agency) and our representatives there for intentionally keeping me and our entire team in the dark because that’s how it should be.

“It should be completely independent and that was agreed by the (parties). It was a shock, but obviously comforted by the evidence afterward.”

A decision by an independent tribunal to clear Sinner of wrongdoing was appealed by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) in September and the Switzerland-based Court of Arbitration for Sport is expected to make a final ruling on the case early next year.

Sinner’s explanation was that the banned performance-enhancer entered his system unintentionally through a massage from his physiotherapist, who used a spray containing the steroid to treat his own cut finger.

WADA is seeking a ban of one to two years for Sinner.

“We are completely external and it’s (an) independent process,” Gaudenzi said. “I generally think has been a fair process. It was really done by the book and by the rules. Maybe there could have been better communication in explaining those rules, and that is something that I would urge every party involved to work better in the next time.”

Gaudenzi said he plans to announce on Sunday the future host of the ATP Finals. The contract with Turin expires next year and there is an option to move the event to nearby Milan at a bigger arena being built for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics.

“We are all super happy with what’s happened here in Turin and of course we’ve been a bit lucky with the players in Italy,” Gaudenzi said. "It's not only Jannik but also Matteo Berrettini played the first edition. Nobody could foresee that.

“We knew we were going to a tennis country,” said Gaudenzi, who is Italian and a former pro player. “(Finals) should definitely go in a market that loves tennis. ... It’s obviously going to get better if you have a local hero, no doubt.”

Gaudenzi does not want to move the finals too far away geographically from the previous stop on the circuit, the Paris Masters.

“We want to try to avoid the players to fly around the world," he said, “because they do enough traveling all over throughout the year.”

AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

United States' Taylor Fritz serves the ball to Australia's Alex de Minaur during their singles tennis match of the ATP World Tour Finals at the Inalpi Arena, in Turin, Italy, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

United States' Taylor Fritz, right, and Australia's Alex de Minaur during their singles tennis match of the ATP World Tour Finals at the Inalpi Arena, in Turin, Italy, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

United States' Taylor Fritz, bottom, returns the ball to Australia's Alex de Minaur during their singles tennis match of the ATP World Tour Finals at the Inalpi Arena, in Turin, Italy, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

United States' Taylor Fritz returns the ball to Australia's Alex de Minaur during their singles tennis match of the ATP World Tour Finals at the Inalpi Arena, in Turin, Italy, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

United States' Taylor Fritz, right, serves the ball to Australia's Alex de Minaur during their singles tennis match of the ATP World Tour Finals at the Inalpi Arena, in Turin, Italy, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

United States' Taylor Fritz serves the ball to Australia's Alex de Minaur during their singles tennis match of the ATP World Tour Finals at the Inalpi Arena, in Turin, Italy, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

Italy's Jannik Sinner holds the trophy as ATP world best player at the ATP World Tour Finals at the Inalpi Arena, in Turin, Italy, Monday, Nov. 11, 2024. Sinner was presented with the trophy for finishing the year ranked No. 1. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

Italy's Jannik Sinner holds the trophy as ATP world best player at the ATP World Tour Finals at the Inalpi Arena, in Turin, Italy, Monday, Nov. 11, 2024. Sinner was presented with the trophy for finishing the year ranked No. 1. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

Italy's Jannik Sinner returns the ball to United States' Taylor Fritz during their singles tennis match of the ATP World Tour Finals at the Inalpi Arena, in Turin, Italy, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)