German authorities have arrested two Afghan citizens near the city of Gera in Thuringia, central Germany, on suspicion of planning a firearms attack on Sweden's parliament. The arrests were made following information that the suspects were allegedly linked to the terror group ISIS.
According to the Office of the German Federal Prosecutor, the suspects had received instructions from an ISIS branch in the summer of 2023 to carry out the planned attack. The motive behind the attack was said to be retaliation for Quran burnings that occurred in Sweden and other Scandinavian countries.
The suspects, one of whom is believed to be a member of ISIS and the other a supporter, had made concrete preparations for the attack. They had attempted to procure weapons and had researched local conditions in Stockholm, where the attack was supposed to take place.
Furthermore, investigators revealed that the detainees had collected donations totaling around 2,000 Euros to send to ISIS. The suspects are expected to appear before Germany's Federal Court of Justice to determine arrest warrants and pre-trial detention.
German Federal Minister of the Interior, Nancy Faeser, emphasized the importance of remaining vigilant against Islamist terrorism. She stated that the arrests highlight the ongoing threat posed by Islamist terrorism and the need for security authorities to remain focused on preventing such attacks.
