Baden-Württemberg Suspect in custody for alleged attack plans

A suspected IS supporter has been remanded in custody for allegedly planning an attack on the Israeli embassy in Berlin. An investigating judge at the Federal Court of Justice in Karlsruhe has issued an arrest warrant for the Libyan, a spokeswoman for the Federal Public Prosecutor General told the German Press Agency.

Arrested on Saturday evening

The man was arrested in Bernau near Berlin on Saturday evening. The federal prosecutor's office accuses him of planning an attack with firearms on the Israeli embassy in Berlin. To plan the attack, the accused had exchanged information with a member of the terrorist organization Islamic State (IS) in a messenger chat, the authorities announced prior to the investigating judge's decision.

The apartment and another apartment of a person not suspected of the crime in the Rhine-Sieg district of North Rhine-Westphalia were searched. Forces from the Federal Police, the Federal Criminal Police Office and the responsible state police were involved in the measures.

"Very serious" terror threat

Following the arrest, Justice Minister Marco Buschmann warned of a "very serious" Islamist terror threat in Germany. "Israeli institutions are particularly frequently targeted by terrorists," the FDP politician told the German Press Agency.

Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser emphasized the importance of protecting Israeli and Jewish institutions. It was "vital" and of "utmost importance" to the German government, the SPD politician explained. "We are acting with the utmost vigilance and attention in view of the high level of threat posed by Islamist, anti-Semitic and anti-Israeli violence."

SDA