Detainees in German Anti-Terror Operation Have Been Released - Reports

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Eight people were detained on suspicion of being involved in terrorism-related activities as a result of searches in seven houses in the German city of Oberhausen, North Rhine-Westphalia, earlier on Wednesday, the Bild newspaper reported, citing police.

The security services suspect that members of the detained family are part of a terrorist cell, according to the Bild newspaper. However, the detainees were released a few hours later. 

"All members of this family are under suspicion that they have long been raising money for the Daesh* terrorist organisation and thereby supported terrorists", police spokesman Ulrich Fassbender told the newspaper.

Those detained include men and women between 19 and 58. Seven of them have German passports, but are of Balkan origin. One of the suspects is a Bosnian. At the moment, the police reportedly have no data that the detained family itself plotted a terrorist attack in Germany.

READ MORE: German Authorities Detain Suspected Daesh Recruiter — Public Prosecutor General

Since investigators could not rule out that the suspects were armed, two apartments were stormed by police special forces. In total, 150 police officers participated in the operation, searching for evidence, weapons and explosives.

The suspects are supposed to be questioned later in the day, and then a decision will be made on their placement in a detention centre.

*Daesh (also known as ISIS/ISIL/IS) is a terrorist group banned in Russia