.Two arrests made in connection with German train bombings
German police arrested a third suspect today in connection with a failed attempt to blow up two trains, and Lebanese authorities picked up a fourth man as the investigation gathered steam, officials said.
The man arrested in Germany, whose identity was not released, was detained in the southern city of Konstanz on suspicion of membership in a terrorist organisation, attempting to set off an explosion and multiple counts of attempted murder.
Prosecutors said he was an associate of Youssef Mohamad el Hajdib, a Lebanese man accused of planting the bombs along with his compatriot Jihad Hamad on July 31.
“Whether, and to what extent he was involved in preparing the attacks is the subject of the investigation,” said Frauke Scheuten, spokeswoman for the federal prosecutor’s office.
After a nearly three-week lull following the attempted bombings, the case has moved quickly over recent days. El Hajdib was arrested on August 19, and Hamad was arrested in Lebanon yesterday.
Lebanese Prosecutor-General Saeed Mirza said it was information from Hamad’s interrogation that led to the arrest of the fourth suspect, whose identity he gave only as 24-year-old H.K.D.
The man is from the village of Sindianeh in the northern Lebanese province of Akkar, Hamad’s home province.
El Hajdib, 21, was a student who lived in the northern German city of Kiel, while Hamad, 20, lived in Cologne.
The two are accused of planting the bombs at the Cologne train station. The detonators for the devices went off, but the bombs failed to explode and were discovered on regional trains in Koblenz and Dortmund.
The case has caused widespread public concern that Germany is now also a target for terrorism. It has prompted calls for tougher security measures, including more video surveillance and a database of potential terrorists.
In addition to the Konstanz arrest, Scheuten said Baden-Wuerttemberg state police searched a student residence in the city on the border with Switzerland, but did not elaborate.
“Further details regarding the circumstances and suspicions cannot be provided today because they could harm the investigation,” she said.
The residence housed a large number of foreign students, and Lebanese judicial sources said Germany told them the man arrested in Konstanz was a Syrian with the initials F.S.
Mirza met for several hours this morning with a German prosecutor and a federal agent who arrived in Beirut overnight to take part in the interrogation. The judicial sources said, however, that under Lebanese law, the Germans will not be allowed to question Hamad until the Lebanese interrogators are done.
Germany is seeking Hamad’s extradition but officials have said the process could take months.
Irish Examiner
Germany need to stop it's support of Israel and get out of Iraq, those are the only options to fight this terrorism
The man arrested in Germany, whose identity was not released, was detained in the southern city of Konstanz on suspicion of membership in a terrorist organisation, attempting to set off an explosion and multiple counts of attempted murder.
Prosecutors said he was an associate of Youssef Mohamad el Hajdib, a Lebanese man accused of planting the bombs along with his compatriot Jihad Hamad on July 31.
“Whether, and to what extent he was involved in preparing the attacks is the subject of the investigation,” said Frauke Scheuten, spokeswoman for the federal prosecutor’s office.
After a nearly three-week lull following the attempted bombings, the case has moved quickly over recent days. El Hajdib was arrested on August 19, and Hamad was arrested in Lebanon yesterday.
Lebanese Prosecutor-General Saeed Mirza said it was information from Hamad’s interrogation that led to the arrest of the fourth suspect, whose identity he gave only as 24-year-old H.K.D.
The man is from the village of Sindianeh in the northern Lebanese province of Akkar, Hamad’s home province.
El Hajdib, 21, was a student who lived in the northern German city of Kiel, while Hamad, 20, lived in Cologne.
The two are accused of planting the bombs at the Cologne train station. The detonators for the devices went off, but the bombs failed to explode and were discovered on regional trains in Koblenz and Dortmund.
The case has caused widespread public concern that Germany is now also a target for terrorism. It has prompted calls for tougher security measures, including more video surveillance and a database of potential terrorists.
In addition to the Konstanz arrest, Scheuten said Baden-Wuerttemberg state police searched a student residence in the city on the border with Switzerland, but did not elaborate.
“Further details regarding the circumstances and suspicions cannot be provided today because they could harm the investigation,” she said.
The residence housed a large number of foreign students, and Lebanese judicial sources said Germany told them the man arrested in Konstanz was a Syrian with the initials F.S.
Mirza met for several hours this morning with a German prosecutor and a federal agent who arrived in Beirut overnight to take part in the interrogation. The judicial sources said, however, that under Lebanese law, the Germans will not be allowed to question Hamad until the Lebanese interrogators are done.
Germany is seeking Hamad’s extradition but officials have said the process could take months.
Irish Examiner
Germany need to stop it's support of Israel and get out of Iraq, those are the only options to fight this terrorism
posted by madtom at 11:29 PM
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