German police arrest suspects plotting alleged Islamist attack

BERLIN — German police raided premises in four states early today on suspicions that Chechen Islamists were scouting locations for an attack, officials say.

Berlin prosecutors say the raids took place at nine locations in the German capital and the states of Brandenburg, North Rhine-Westphalia and Thuringia.

In a statement, prosecutors say the suspects, who are aged 23 to 28, are accused of “having scouted out locations for a possible later attack motivated by Islamism.”

“According to current information there was no concrete threat of an attack yet,” prosecutors add.

Authorities acted after discovering photographs on a suspect’s cellphone during a police check.

Some 180 officers were involved in today’s raids, during which police seized cash, knives and data storage devices.

— AP