Arrest of Suspect in Attack on Augsburg Christmas Market in Germany
German police arrested a suspect in an attack on the Christmas market in Augsburg, Germany.
According to reports released, German police arrested a 37-year-old Iraqi man on Wednesday, December 4, who was suspected of planning an attack on the Christmas market in the city of Augsburg, Germany. According to reports from German media outlets, the individual in question had been residing in the country as a refugee and allegedly planned the attack on the Augsburg Christmas market.
The newspaper “Welt” also wrote, citing sources familiar with security agencies: “The suspect took photographs of the Augsburg Christmas market during a suspected espionage operation, and German security authorities decided to arrest the individual as a preventive measure against potential danger.”
Published reports indicate that the Iraqi man had previously been under surveillance by German security authorities due to posts he published on social media networks, particularly because the content he shared in cyberspace indicated his support for the terrorist group ISIS.
It should be noted that the Augsburg Administrative Court had previously issued an arrest warrant for this Iraqi refugee in order to ensure his deportation from the country. According to statements by German authorities, the threat of Islamist attacks in Germany is assessed as a serious danger in the country.
The German Interior Ministry and the Federal Criminal Police Office also stated regarding the dangers of attacks in Germany: “The attack by the terrorist group Hamas on Israel on October 7 of last year and the exacerbation of the Syria crisis in the Middle East have resulted in an increased likelihood of the risk of attacks occurring in Germany at present.”
