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Source: The Guardian

Chicago police say they are questioning two potential suspects, one of whom has worked on the Fox TV series Empire, in the ongoing investigation into an alleged hate attack on the black and gay star of the same show, Jussie Smollett.

The spokesman for the city’s police department, Anthony Guglielmi, confirmed on Friday that two Nigerian brothers had been arrested in connection with the investigation. They were being treated as “potential suspects” by detectives who believed there was “probable cause” that they may have engaged in a crime, though no indication was given as to the nature of that possible offense.

The brothers were intercepted on Wednesday as they arrived back at Chicago’s O’Hare airport from Nigeria. Police have also confirmed that they searched the pair’s house on Thursday under warrant.

The police statement adds a twist in the narrative of the reported attack on Smollett on 29 January. The statement came only a day after the actor and R&B singer had given his first detailed account to ABC News in which he said he had been set upon by two white assailants hurling racial and homophobic insults at him and slinging a noose around his neck.

In an emotional interview with Good Morning America, Smollett said his attackers had shouted “This is Maga country!” – a reference to Donald Trump’s mantra “Make America Great Again”. He also said he believed he was targeted because of his frequent political criticism of the president.

Two men were captured on surveillance camera in the vicinity of the reported assault on Smollett. The star told ABC News he had no doubts that they were his attackers.

On Thursday, in a further twist, Guglielmi took the unusual step of publicly rebuffing speculation in the Chicago media that police were investigating whether the incident was in fact staged. In a tweet, he said: “Media reports about the Empire incident being a hoax are unconfirmed by case detectives.”

Smollett’s account of events has been challenged by doubters on social media who have questioned why he initially resisted handing over his cell phone to police and why later he gave them only a heavily redacted record of his calls around the time of the incident. The actor defended himself on ABC News, saying he had been hesitant because he wanted to protect the privacy of his partner, family and fellow Empire cast members.

“It feels like if I had said it was a Muslim or a Mexican or someone black, I feel like the doubters would have supported me a lot more,” he said.