Suspect arrested in Augsburg Christmas market attack in Germany
German police have arrested a suspect in the Augsburg Christmas market attack.
According to reports, German police arrested a 37-year-old Iraqi man on Wednesday, December 4, suspected of being involved in the attack on a Christmas market in the German city of Augsburg. According to German media reports, the man was a refugee living in the country and may have planned the attack on the Augsburg Christmas market.
The Welt newspaper also wrote, citing sources familiar with the security services: "The suspect took photos of the Augsburg Christmas market during a possible espionage operation, and German security authorities decided to arrest him in order to prevent any danger."
Published reports indicate that this Iraqi man has previously been under special surveillance by German security authorities due to posts he posted on social media, as the posts he posted on social media indicated his support for the ISIS terrorist group.
It should be noted that the Augsburg Administrative Court had previously issued an arrest warrant for the Iraqi refugee to ensure his deportation. According to German authorities, the threat of Islamist attacks in Germany is considered a serious risk in the country.
The German Interior Ministry and the Federal Criminal Police Office also stated regarding the risks of attacks in Germany: "The attack by the Hamas terrorist group on Israel on October 7 last year and the escalation of the Syrian crisis in the Middle East have caused the risk of attacks in Germany to increase."
