Member of Group That Planned Attack in Dusseldorf Involved in Robbery

Saleh A., a member of a group that had planned a terror attack in Dusseldorf, a city in western Germany, was also involved in a robbery, the German Bild newspaper reports.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Saleh A. lived in refugee housing in Dusseldorf suburbs starting from March 2015, according to Bild. In July of last year he robbed one person at a night club in the city’s historic district. He has been detained by French authorities and has revealed plans of an attack in Dusseldorf to French investigators.

On Thursday, three Syrians suspected of planning an attack in Dusseldorf were arrested in Germany. According to the German Spiegel magazine, the arrested are members of Daesh (the Islamic State) terrorist group, banned in a range of states, including Russia.

At least two of them had come to Germany disguised as refugees via the Balkan route in September 2015, according to Bild. Saleh A. arrived in Germany in 2014 and used to be a member of the Jabhat al-Nusra (Nusra Front) terrorist group, the newspaper said.

In November 2015, a series of coordinated attacks were carried out in the French capital, killing 130 people and injuring over 360, many critically. IS claimed responsibility for the attacks. The tragedy triggered fears of extremists entering Europe disguised as refugees.