Germany fetes Syrian ‘heroes’ who nabbed bomb plot suspect

Germany on Monday hails three Syrians who helped police capture a compatriot suspected of planning a jihadist bomb attack, with social media coming alive with jibes against anti-migrant protesters.

“Syrian turns in terror suspect. I’m celebrating this. What about you, Pegida and co?” says Julia Frick on Twitter, in reference to the Islamophobic movement that has been ranting against migrants in the eastern city of Dresden.

Another Twitter user takes a dig at the right-wing populist Alternative for Germany (AfD), which has been running an aggressive campaign against asylum seekers.

“Syrian turns in terror suspect tied up to police — that’s precisely the kind of citizen watch that AfD and Pegida like to drone on about,” tweets Florian Flade.

Another using the handle Kraftklub quips that “the foreigners are taking jobs away from police,” turning around a common stereotype used by anti-migrant politicians.

“Detained terrorists: Pegida and company: 0, refugee: 1,” says another user with the handle likedeeler.

The informants had overpowered the suspect and tied him up in their apartment before calling in police, who finally took him away before dawn.

Chancellor Angela Merkel led praise for the Syrians, with her spokeswoman Ulrike Demmer pointing to “recognition for the Syrian who informed police about the suspect’s whereabouts,” leading to his arrest.

— AFP