Berlin authorities have arrested a 22-year-old Syrian man on suspicion of planning a terrorist attack in the city, potentially targeting a Christmas market. The arrest took place in the Neukölln district on Saturday, November 1st, with a special operations unit (SEK) involved, according to Michael Petzold, spokesperson for the Berlin public prosecutor’s office.
Investigators believe the man had been preparing a serious crime endangering the state. Materials capable of being used to build explosive devices were seized during searches of three locations linked to the suspect, along with electronic storage devices.
Evidence suggests he had repeatedly shared propaganda from the terrorist organization Islamic State (IS) on social media, including jihadist-themed songs and anthems.
The tip leading to the arrest reportedly came from a foreign intelligence service. Following the arrest, a judge at the Tiergarten District Court issued an arrest warrant, and the suspect is now in pretrial detention.
The Trade Union of the Police (GdP) state chairman Stephan Weh emphasized the security risk posed by individuals already residing in Germany: “The case involves a potential terrorist who didn’t enter Germany specifically to carry out his attack, but was already living among us.” The Syrian suspect came to Germany in 2023 and received subsidiary protection–the usual protection status for people from Syria who had not faced persecution as individuals.
Details regarding the exact target of the alleged attack have not been officially confirmed.
