The Hamburg Public Prosecutor’s Office announced the arrest of a man suspected of preparing a terrorist attack. The suspect, identified as a 17-year-old Syrian, allegedly planned a bomb attack aimed at killing an indeterminate number of people in a location such as a shopping center, a bar, or a police station in Hamburg.
According to the authorities, he acquired materials for the act, including universal fertilizer, liquid grill igniter, a storm hood, and a knife. Police special forces apprehended the suspect in Hamburg last Thursday. During a subsequent search of his accommodations, the planned items for the attack were recovered.
Investigators believe the teenager was inspired by the terrorist organization Islamic State (IS). Furthermore, the Public Prosecutor’s Office confirmed that the suspect had been known to the authorities beforehand, having been noticed in Telegram messaging groups. Reports noted that the Federal Intelligence Service reportedly received intelligence regarding his plans at the beginning of the previous week.
In addition to the terrorist plot, the suspect is also under investigation for using IS symbols, and an evaluation for potential violations of the association law and other criminal offenses has been ordered by the General Public Prosecutor’s Office.