Germany conducts raids over suspected attack plans

German police on Thursday (Feb 4) arrested two Algerians suspected of links to the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) group after raids targeting several sites, including refugee shelters where some of the suspects lived. Police sources confirmed that a woman had also been detained during the raids, but said she had been arrested in Berlin, not Attendorn.

Police are searching for a group of four men suspected of planning an attack in Germany.

Prosecutors in Germany are investigating the activities of a 35-year-old Syrian doctorate student they suspect of being involved in a propaganda video for Islamic State (IS) militants.

Target of the investigations because the preparation of a serious act of violence Furthermore, against three other Algerians, of which one, a 47 year old man, was arrested in Berlin – but is the arrest warrant against him on falsification.

News reports said it was another Algerian national, who was held in custody for having counterfeit identity documents.

He is suspected of having military training in Syria.

Apartments and businesses were raided in the capital and refugee shelters in Attendorn and Hannover.

They were believed to be plotting an attack on Alexanderplatz, a transport hub in central Berlin and had recently worked in the area, Bild newspaper reported.

One of the suspects was also being sought by Algerian officials for ISIS membership, officials said. Abdelhamid Abaaoud, the mastermind of the November 2015 Paris attacks, was a Molenbeek resident.

Germany has been on high alert since Islamic extremists killed 130 people in a series of attacks across Paris on November 13.

Nearly 1.1 million asylum seekers came to Germany past year.

Police seized computers, mobile telephones and sketches in the raids, Mr Steltner said, adding “we haven’t found the smoking gun”. Authorities cancelled a friendly global soccer match in Hanover last year and closed stations in Munich at New Year due to security concerns.