Three Syrian nationals suspected of being on an ISIL mission are arrested by German police
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A reportedly large anti-terror police operation in the north German states of Schleswig-Holstein and Lower Saxony has led to the arrest of three Syrian nationals suspected of being sent to the country by ISIL to carry out attacks.
In pre-dawn raids, the men, 17-year-old Mahir Al-H., 26-year-old Mohamed A. and 18-year-old Ibrahim M. were reportedly arrested along with “extensive material”, but no direct orders were immediately found, said Germany’s Federal Public Prosecutor in a statement.
Two hundred police officers participated in the raids, which included several homes and three refugee shelters.
“The three men are suspected of coming to Germany in November 2015 in order to either fulfil an already received mission or to be ready for further instructions,” prosecutors said.
Prosecutors added they suspect the men arrived into Germany through Turkey and Greece using false passports, and that at least one of three had received training in Syria with ISIL before September 2015.
These arrests come as Germany has struggled, like France, to stop ISIL attacks within its borders this summer. During one week in July 10 German people were killed, and dozens more wounded, in individual bomb, axe, machete and gun attacks.