German police thwart extremist plot and prevent two suspects from traveling to Syria
German security authorities successfully prevented two young men suspected of links to extremism from traveling to Syria, as they were arrested at different airports in an operation aimed at thwarting a serious threat to state security.
The police arrested one suspect at Hanover Airport and the other at Stuttgart Airport, after investigations indicated that they were planning to commit a serious act of violence. Officials believe that the suspects intended to leave Germany to receive training and participate in armed combat abroad.
According to the Hessian Criminal Police Office (Landeskriminalamt Hessen) and the Public Prosecutor's Office in Frankfurt, the suspects are German nationals aged 27 and 18. Investigators explained that intensive security measures involving special units were used to prevent them from leaving the country.
After their arrest, the suspects were transferred to Frankfurt, where an investigating judge ordered them to be placed in pre-trial detention. As part of the investigation, the police raided several homes in Kassel and the surrounding areas.
During the raids, authorities seized a bow, pamphlets and brochures related to the Islamic State, as well as cash, mobile phones, and digital storage devices. Authorities confirmed that the investigation has been ongoing for some time and involves cooperation between several German states, continuing to uncover the full backgrounds of the suspected plot, while emphasizing that there was no direct threat to the public at any stage.