Five men have been arrested in Germany suspected of being involved in a plot to drive a vehicle into people at a Christmas market. Three Moroccans, an Egyptian and a Syrian were detained on Friday over the plan to target a market in the southern Bavarian state. Authorities said they suspected an Islamist motive. Prosecutors said the Egyptian - a 56-year-old - was alleged to have called for a vehicle attack... with the aim of killing or injuring as many people as possible. The Moroccans allegedly agreed to carry out the attack.
Officials in Germany have been on high alert after previous attacks at Christmas markets, including one in Magdeburg last December that killed six people. Authorities did not specify when the planned attack was to occur or which market was targeted, although it is believed to be in the Dingolfing-Landau area, northeast of Munich. German newspaper Bild reported that the Egyptian man was an imam at a local mosque.
The Moroccan men, aged 30, 28, and 22, were arrested for allegedly agreeing to commit murder, while the 37-year-old Syrian was accused of encouraging the attack. The suspects appeared before a magistrate on Saturday and remain in custody. Joachim Herrmann, Bavaria's state interior minister, remarked that the excellent cooperation between our security services had been pivotal in preventing a potentially Islamist-motivated attack. Christmas markets are popular festive attractions throughout Germany, frequently attracting large crowds and significant tourism, with security heightened since a 2016 attack in Berlin that killed 12 people.
Officials in Germany have been on high alert after previous attacks at Christmas markets, including one in Magdeburg last December that killed six people. Authorities did not specify when the planned attack was to occur or which market was targeted, although it is believed to be in the Dingolfing-Landau area, northeast of Munich. German newspaper Bild reported that the Egyptian man was an imam at a local mosque.
The Moroccan men, aged 30, 28, and 22, were arrested for allegedly agreeing to commit murder, while the 37-year-old Syrian was accused of encouraging the attack. The suspects appeared before a magistrate on Saturday and remain in custody. Joachim Herrmann, Bavaria's state interior minister, remarked that the excellent cooperation between our security services had been pivotal in preventing a potentially Islamist-motivated attack. Christmas markets are popular festive attractions throughout Germany, frequently attracting large crowds and significant tourism, with security heightened since a 2016 attack in Berlin that killed 12 people.
