German officials seize 3 for plotting 'Islamic motivated' terror attacks - Haaretz

Subscribe to Print Edition

Fri., September 07, 2007 Elul 24, 5767

Israel Time: 06:06 (EST+7)

web haaretz.com

Back to Homepage

Print Edition

Diplomacy

Defense

Arts & Leisure

Real Estate

Jewish World

National

Advertising

Magazine

Week's End

Business

Opinion

Rosner's Domain

Anglo File

Books

Travel

del.icio.us

Digg It! new

Last update - 18:38 05/09/2007

German officials seize 3 for plotting 'Islamic motivated' terror attacks

By The Associated Press

German authorities said Wednesday they had arrested three suspected Islamic terrorists for allegedly plotting attacks on Frankfurt International Airport, one of Europe's busiest, along with nearby Ramstein Air Base, a key U.S. and NATO military hub.

Prosecutors said they had arrested three suspected members of an Islamic-motivated terrorist organization, but gave no further details. German Defense Minister Franz Josef Jung told ARD broadcaster the three men were suspected of targeting the airport and base.

There was an imminent threat, Jung said, but declined to elaborate.

	Advertisement

American authorities, however, see no imminent threat in the United States following the arrests, the FBI said on Wednesday

FBI spokesman Richard Kolko said his agency and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security were monitoring the situation in Germany.

"We see no imminent threat to the U.S. domestically following these arrests. We have been closely coordinating with the Germans on this case," Kolko said.

The Sudwestrundfunk public broadcaster said two of the suspects had German citizenship while the third was Pakistani.

Prosecutors in Karlsruhe said the arrests took place on Tuesday afternoon, and that police had also carried out searches across the country. The suspects are to be brought before a judge later Wednesday.

German and U.S. officials have warned of the possibility of a terrorist attack, and security measures have been increased.

Navy Capt. Jeff Gradeck, spokesman for the U.S. military's European Command in Stuttgart said German authorities had contacted them concerning the alleged plot, but had no further information.

"We extend our gratitude to Germany for their efforts in protecting us," Gradeck said.

The leading Der Spiegel weekly said in its online edition that the group has been under observation by German authorities for many months and all three men are considered radical Islamists with contacts to terror cells abroad.

Authorities decided to move in on the group after they were observed moving a stock of chemicals that could be used for making a bomb from one storehouse to another, Spiegel said.

Germany, which did not send troops to Iraq, has largely been spared terrorist attacks like the train and subway bombings in Madrid and London - although its involvement in the attempt to stabilize Afghanistan against Islamic insurgents has led to fears it might be targeted.

In July 2006 two gas bombs were placed on commuter trains but did not explode. Officials said that attack was motivated by anger over cartoons portraying the Prophet Muhammad in a Danish newspaper. Several suspects are on trial in Lebanon, and a Lebanese man has been charged in Germany.

Chancellor Angela Merkel said in an interview released Wednesday that German troops would remain in Afghanistan for several more years, despite recent setbacks in the region.

Bookmark to del.icio.us


	Prehistoric Haifa
	Hunting implements 250,000 years old were found in caves on Mount Carmel.


	Paint it black
	The Environment Ministry estimates that pollution kills about 600 Israelis each year.




1.	NEED ANOTHER FINAL SOLUTION, PROBABLY?	12:50	\|	indrajaya	05/09/07

2.	Good work fellahs!	12:54	\|	Nik Miller	05/09/07

3.	Germany and islamic terror - to #1	13:45	\|	Gabe	05/09/07

4.	Good job and thanks	13:52	\|	Lynn	05/09/07

5.	Indy and the "Muslim Problem"	13:54	\|	Lynn	05/09/07

6.	Indrajaya the self-declared terrorist	14:10	\|	Shlomo	05/09/07

7.	Yesterday they arrested 8 in Copenhagen	15:27	\|	Alice of Wonderland	05/09/07

8.	Slow in prosecuting Nazis, so ...	15:32	\|	Cynical	05/09/07

9.	2 Germans 1 Turkish	15:51	\|	Shual	05/09/07

10.	`Islamic motivated`?	15:54	\|	Muslim Observer	05/09/07

11.	Answer to # 6	15:54	\|	Abu Yusuf	05/09/07

12.	GERMANY today,Yeterday Norway.Terror in Britain by Moslem doctors	16:22	\|	PETER S.M.	05/09/07

13.	gabe #3	16:33	\|	wh	05/09/07

14.	Islamic terrorists	16:37	\|	siegfried buchwalte	05/09/07

15.	INDRAJAYA.Indonesian final solutions,Chinese,Timorese,Papuans,Ace	16:46	\|	PETERSM	05/09/07

16.	Indrajaya`s Entlosung	17:02	\|	Albert Seligman	05/09/07

17.	Being benevolent to Terrorists and sacrificing Israel.	17:03	\|	Sandy	05/09/07

18.	Gabe - 100% correct, right to the point	17:04	\|	Taly	05/09/07

19.	Indrajaya	17:16	\|	Taly	05/09/07

20.	indraja	17:28	\|	Steve	05/09/07

21.	gabe #3	18:29	\|	wh	05/09/07

22.	wh your two responses to Gabe ......	19:12	\|	Mary	05/09/07

23.	Not just German citizenship	13:05	\|	Vixen	06/09/07

Today Online


	U.S. prof. who says Jews use Holocaust to curb critics resigns
	Responses: 378


	Syrian military: We fired on IAF jet that violated our airspace
	Responses: 305


	Rights group: IDF 'indiscriminately ' hit Lebanon civilians
	Responses: 189


	Yet again, a British royal fails to make his visit to Israel official
	Responses: 141


	Editorial: Cutting off Gaza utilities illegal, counterproductive
	Responses: 99


	Arens: Only way to halt Qassams is to push them out of range
	Responses: 64

Rosner's Domain

Blog: Young American Jews are alienated from Israel

* WTR: A safe haven in Iran for terrorists

* Blog: From Arkansas to Jerusalem

* Why you should never trust my predictions ever again (if you ever did)

More Headlines
02:13 PM denies all knowledge of IAF entry into Syria airspace


03:56 U.S. refuses to comment on Syria's claim of Israeli airstrike


02:43 Lebanon calls on Syria to reduce arms smuggling across border


03:16 Lithuanian nationalists target former Yad Vashem chief


04:11 Northern residents: Alleged IAF strike has not affected quiet


23:08 ANALYSIS: The question is, how will Damascus respond?


05:12 Study: Majority of schoolkids believe in hitting back


02:15 Jordan's Abdullah: U.S. must ensure success of Mideast conference


23:38 IDF kills 10 Gaza militants; 6 die in bid to kidnap soldier


00:48 Peres, Benedict XVI, discuss Mideast peace efforts near Rome