Security officials say a security sweep Thursday in four towns in Macedonia sought suspected recruiters and militants planning on fighting in Syria and Iraq.

Among the nine people arrested was Rexhep Memishi, an imam in the capital Skopje, whom the interior minister accused of encouraging Macedonian citizens of fighting in foreign armies.

"According to our information he could be seen as the main ideological leader," Interior Minister Mitko Cavkov told reporters. He said that charges would be brought against a group of 36 who had violated Macedonian law by "fighting for another army or paramilitary organisation."

Under Macedonian law, joining in conflicts abroad as well as recruiting citizens to fight in foreign wars is punishable by five years in jail. At least 16 Macedonian citizens have been killed in Iraq and Syria, while another 130 are believed to have taken part or are still fighting there, according to the ministry.

Authorities are still seeking 27 more suspects, Chavkov said Thursday, though the minister said the suspects are thought to have crossed into Turkey, and there is no evidence of any violence planned in the Balkans.

"We know that these people possess false passports and that they were going through Turkey to the front line," Chavkov said, noting that the investigation had not determined what organizations the suspects are tied to.

Tensions continue to exist between Macedonia's Slavs and ethnic Albanians who make up one-third of the country's 2.1 million people. Most ethnic Albanians are Muslim, but practice a moderate form of Islam.

Even so, around a dozen Albanians have reportedly been killed in Syria after swearing allegiance to Islamic State; Thursday's raids were carried out in mostly Albanian communities.

jar/jil (Reuters, AFP, dpa)