Graphic source: Michael Probst, AP.
Germany arrested three suspected Islamic militants on charges of alleged "imminent" acts and plotting "massive" attacks on U.S. military sites.
U.S. military installations, such as Ramstein Air Base, as well as "soft targets," such as nightclubs visited by American service personnel and German civilian targets were identified.
German federal prosecutor Monika Harms stated that the suspects had trained at terror camps in Pakistan and assembled 1,500 pounds of hydrogen peroxide for making explosives. The attacks could have been timed for anniversary of 9/11.
The potential to make bombs would have more explosive power than the ones used in the London and Madrid bombings, according to Joerg Ziercke, head of Germany’s Federal Crime Office.
The three suspects range in age from 22-29 and were considered suspicious by authorities since they had been observing a U.S. military facility. The trio included two German nationals and a Turk.
Their training at Pakistani camps were run by the Islamic Jihad Union, Sunni Muslims, arising from Central Asia and an offshoot of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan.
The band were drawing unemployment benefits since they had no gainful employment.
Germany’s elite GSG-9 anti-terrorist unit arrested the suspects in a large-scale investigation that included 300 agents.
Police had been monitoring their email for six months.
A pattern is emerging with these threats, as parliamentary debates were being undertaken in regards to continued involvement in Afhghanistan, this plot heated up, just as the Madrid bombings occurred to influence Spanish debates about Middle Eastern involvement.
Germany's attempt to stabilize Afghanistan against Islamic insurgents made it a target.
Germany is expected to keep troops in Afghanistan for several more years, despite the terrorist threats.
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