Berlin police arrest man for planning 'jihadi' attack

Germanauthorities said a 22-year-old Syrian man was arrested in Berlin on Saturday on suspicion of preparing a "jihadi" attack.

The suspect was planning "a jihadi-motivated attack," according to a spokesman for Berlin prosecutors. A unit of the police Special Task Force (SEK) had been deployed to take the man into custody.

German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said the arrest showed "the terrorist threat in Germany, though often abstract, remains heightened."

He said in a statement that the Syrian had been in Germany since 2023 and that his activities suggested preparations for an attack, were detected in time."

Iris Spranger, Interior Minister for the city-state of Berlin, said the case showed "we are extremely watchful in cooperation with the security authorities for the security of people in the capital."

Equipment suitable for making a bomb was seized following a search by special police units of three Berlin residential addresses linked to the suspect, officials said.

According to prosecutors, the man shared propaganda on the "Islamic State" terrorist organization on social media. The material included jihadi songs, along with a call for them to be disseminated.

Berlin remains under vigilant watch, especially since a 2016 attack at a Christmas market, when a truck mowed down a crowd, killing 12 people.