Did the German capital narrowly escape a terrorist attack? Special forces arrested a Syrian man on Saturday.
The suspect, Abdalla R., is alleged to have planned a bloodbath. According to information obtained by BILD, materials for constructing explosive devices were seized from his home.
After his arrest in Berlin’s Neukölln district, he was taken to a detention centre. He is scheduled to appear before a magistrate on Sunday afternoon. According to information obtained by the newspaper BILD from security sources, the Syrian had three residential addresses in Berlin. One on Buschkrugallee, one on Sonnenallee and one on Lindenstraße.
As the man was considered to be extremely dangerous, officers from the Special Operations Command (SEK) were involved in the operation alongside state security officers. Abdalla R. is charged with preparing a serious crime that poses a threat to the state. Details of a possible target were not initially disclosed, but the suspected terrorist’s planned location is believed to have been Berlin.
According to information obtained by BILD from security circles, investigators are said to have seized materials suitable for the construction of explosive devices.
No comment was made as to whether the tip-off about the suspect came from a foreign intelligence service.