Two arrested in Germany suspected of planning terror attack

April 08, 2016 | 17:23

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Two men suspected of links with the Islamic State group and of planning an attack were on Thursday held for questioning in Germany, the public prosecutor said, although no evidence of any "concrete threat" had been found.

A police car patrols in Attendorn, Germany. (AFP/Bernd Thissen)

BERLIN: Two men suspected of links with the Islamic State group and of planning an attack were on Thursday (Apr 7) held for questioning in Germany, the public prosecutor said, although no evidence of any "concrete threat" had been found

The pair, an Iraqi, 46, and a Nigerian, 29, would be held until Friday when they will either go before a judge or be released, prosecutor's office spokesman Thomas Steinkraus-Koch said.

The men were questioned in southern Bavaria on Thursday afternoon. "From what we know now there is no concrete threat," Bavarian police added in a statement.

According to the Suddeutsche Zeitung daily's online edition, one of the suspects was arrested in Munich while the other was picked up in Furstenfeldbruck in Bavaria. "The two men ... have been identified as possible suspects (likely to commit) an act of serious violence," police added.

Although initial investigations failed to establish any imminent threat, police decided to question the men immediately. Searches were carried out but no suspicious items were found, a police spokesman said.

Since the Nov 13 attacks in Paris that killed 130 people, German authorities have repeatedly said they believe Germany faces the threat of militant attacks.

AFP

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