(JTA) — A Syrian man who was recently arrested in Germany belonged to a cell plotting to use chemical weapons in attacks on Israeli targets, a German tabloid reported.
The 21-year-old terror suspect was arrested last Thursday by Germany’s SEK unit in a Berlin cafe according to the report Friday in Bild. He was wanted in connection with an April 14 assault in the German capital, police said at the time of his arrest.
The assault was over a financial dispute, the report said.
But on Thursday. Bild learned that the suspect was also wanted in connection with terrorism and a plot to attack Israeli targets with chemical weapons.
Local police acknowledged that the suspect had been taken into custody last week, without confirming details regarding the alleged terror plot. A police spokesperson said only that the suspect was “very dangerous” and that he was under investigation for a matter unrelated to the assault charges stemming from the April 14 incident, Israel National News reported.
But according to Bild, the suspect recruited other Syrians and reportedly prepared an explosive device. The bomb was apparently intended to be used as part of a chemical weapon attack.
The exact type of chemicals and the target have not been disclosed.
Germany’s Federal Intelligence Service said it had been tipped off by a foreign agency several months ago regarding the suspect’s plans. Local authorities later tapped the suspect’s phones.
Police conducted a search of the suspect’s residence, but say they found no incriminating evidence. The suspect apparently entered the country illegally, using a fake Libyan passport.
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