Brandenburg police arrest teenager
The Brandenburg police have arrested a teenager on suspicion of preparing a terrorist attack. The arrest is in connection with a second youth from North Rhine-Westphalia, for whom an arrest warrant has been issued.
In response to an inquiry on Wednesday afternoon, the Ministry of the Interior in Potsdam announced that a young man of Russian nationality had been arrested on suspicion of preparing an attack. The tip-off had come from intelligence circles in Brandenburg and North Rhine-Westphalia.
"We are seeing more and more calls for attacks and assassinations in the Islamist spectrum. The danger is real and higher than it has been for a long time," said Interior Minister Michael Stübgen (CDU). "The Middle East conflict is being used with incitement and propaganda to mobilize potential perpetrators. We are vigilant and our security forces are doing everything necessary to avert potential dangers."
The Leverkusen district court issued an arrest warrant for a 15-year-old from the Rheinisch-Bergisch district in North Rhine-Westphalia for planning and preparing an Islamist terrorist attack. This was announced by the Düsseldorf public prosecutor's office on Wednesday. The teenager was provisionally arrested during a search of his home on Tuesday. The public prosecutor's office did not provide any further details.
According to previous reports from security circles, the 15-year-old main suspect from North Rhine-Westphalia and a 16-year-old from Brandenburg are said to have discussed the intention to carry out an attack on alleged "infidels". The 15-year-old from North Rhine-Westphalia named a synagogue and a Christmas market as possible targets. The suspicions were first reported by WDR and the Tagesspiegel.
The arrest of the teenager in Brandenburg highlights the rising concern over extremist ideologies fueling terrorism and crime. The Interior Minister has cautioned about the increased calls for attacks and assassinations in the Islamist spectrum, which pose a significant threat.
Source: www.dpa.com
