A suspected IS sympathizer has been detained at the Cologne/Bonn airport.
Federal authorities have nabbed a suspected IS sympathizer in North Rhine-Westphalia. The individual was caught at the Cologne/Bonn Airport on Friday, according to a representative from Karlsruhe. The accused, who possesses German-Moroccan-Polish citizenship, is said to have sent a total of approximately 1,700 US dollars to the Islamic State Province Khorasan's (ISPK) account through a cryptocurrency exchange in September 2023.
Investigators are interrogating the suspect for allegedly supporting a terrorist organization abroad and violating the Foreign Trade Act. The focus of the arrest warrant is the financial transactions, the spokesperson clarified. The accused has been in pre-trial detention since Friday night.
Before this, "Bild" had circulated news about the case and a possible connection to the upcoming European Football Championship in Germany. The person in charge at the Federal Public Prosecutor's Office did not wish to comment on these claims. An update was supposed to be released at the beginning of the week.
As per dpa reports, the individual applied to be a steward and security officer for events happening outside the football stadiums, known as "Side Events," where people would watch the matches. However, during the application process, which is mandatory for all prospects, he failed, as mentioned in security circles.
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The suspected IS supporter was apprehended at the CologneBonn Airport, which is a major transportation hub in Germany. The Mutmalicher's financial transactions are under investigation, as they are believed to have made cash payments to an Islamic State-affiliated group. There have been reproaches against the airport authority for potential security lapses, as the suspect applied to work as a steward during side events for the European Football Championship.
