BERLIN (Sputnik) – Three people who were detained in Germany on suspicion of ties to the Islamic State militant group, may have been planning attack on Berlin’s Alexanderplatz square, local media reported Thursday.
According to the Bild newspaper, citing law enforcement sources, the 35-year-old man is considered to be the leader of the group. He arrived in Attendorn three weeks ago.
In October 2015, German Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said Berlin was aware of the potential for terrorists to be hiding among asylum seekers streaming into Germany amid the ongoing refugee crisis. He warned that Germany was "at the center of international terrorism," adding that domestic security services were working hard to thwart terrorist plots.
IS is designated a terrorist group and outlawed in many countries, including Russia. The group has captured vast territories in Iraq and Syria, where it has proclaimed a caliphate.
