Pakistani among those arrested in Germany on suspicion of supporting IS
Prosecutors say Mirza Taimoor arrested on suspicion that he smuggled two fighters from Germany to Syria
BERLIN:
German police arrested several men, including a Pakistani man, suspected of supporting militant groups, including Islamic State, and raided numerous properties in a large operation against alleged radicals, federal prosecutors said on Wednesday.
Some 240 police officers took part in the sweep, which targeted a network believed to support Islamists in Syria.
A 58-year-old Pakistani man, Mirza Tamoor B, was arrested on suspicion that he smuggled two fighters from Germany to Syria, while a 31-year-old German, Kais BO, was detained on suspicion of recruiting three other potential jihadists and helping them to travel to Syria, prosecutors said.
The two are also believed to have sent more than $3,700 to support IS and other radical groups.
According to prosecutors in Cologne, a further seven German citizens, aged between 22 and 35, were arrested on suspicion of robbing churches and schools to provide money for militants.
The raids targeted dozens of properties in several cities across North Rhine-Westphalia and police were investigating a further 20 suspected members of the network, they said.
Some of the suspects were also being investigated for procuring false passports for potential jihadists who wanted to travel to Syria, the local prosecutors added.
As with other western European countries, Germany is struggling to stop the radicalisation of young Muslims, some of whom want to become jihadists in Syria or Iraq.
Officials also worry that they might return to plot attacks on home soil. German intelligence authorities estimate at least 450 people have left Germany for Syria and around 150 have returned. Many are being criminally investigated.
German police arrested several men, including a Pakistani man, suspected of supporting militant groups, including Islamic State, and raided numerous properties in a large operation against alleged radicals, federal prosecutors said on Wednesday.
Some 240 police officers took part in the sweep, which targeted a network believed to support Islamists in Syria.
A 58-year-old Pakistani man, Mirza Tamoor B, was arrested on suspicion that he smuggled two fighters from Germany to Syria, while a 31-year-old German, Kais BO, was detained on suspicion of recruiting three other potential jihadists and helping them to travel to Syria, prosecutors said.
The two are also believed to have sent more than $3,700 to support IS and other radical groups.
According to prosecutors in Cologne, a further seven German citizens, aged between 22 and 35, were arrested on suspicion of robbing churches and schools to provide money for militants.
The raids targeted dozens of properties in several cities across North Rhine-Westphalia and police were investigating a further 20 suspected members of the network, they said.
Some of the suspects were also being investigated for procuring false passports for potential jihadists who wanted to travel to Syria, the local prosecutors added.
As with other western European countries, Germany is struggling to stop the radicalisation of young Muslims, some of whom want to become jihadists in Syria or Iraq.
Officials also worry that they might return to plot attacks on home soil. German intelligence authorities estimate at least 450 people have left Germany for Syria and around 150 have returned. Many are being criminally investigated.