German anti-terrorism police have arrested a 21-year-old man on suspicion of planning an Islamist-motivated attack on one of the country's famous Christmas markets, authorities have confirmed. This marks the second such plot disrupted by security services in a matter of days, raising fears of a renewed terror threat against the festive gatherings.
Heightened Security After Recent Arrests
The latest suspect, identified only as a national of a Central Asian country, was taken into custody in the eastern federal state of Saxony-Anhalt. German officials stated he was detained to prevent the execution of concrete attack plans he had voiced against larger crowds. The man reportedly moved to Germany in the summer of 2024 and was undergoing training as a care worker.
Germany's Interior Ministry has initiated proceedings for his deportation under Section 58a of the Residence Act, a powerful law allowing for the swift expulsion of foreign nationals deemed a special danger to national security. The suspect is currently held in preparatory detention to enable the deportation order.
Second Plot Uncovered in a Week
This arrest comes just days after a separate, chilling terror plot was foiled by police. Five men were arrested last weekend over alleged plans to use a vehicle to carry out a ramming attack on a Christmas market crowded with families and tourists. The group included a 56-year-old Egyptian national, a 37-year-old Syrian, and three Moroccan men aged 22, 28, and 30.
Prosecutors believe the Egyptian suspect was the ringleader, who allegedly incited the attack during a gathering at a mosque in Bavaria's Dingolfing-Landau area. Authorities are treating this as an attempt to incite murder. The three Moroccan suspects are believed to have been prepared to carry out the vehicle attack, while the Syrian suspect is accused of reinforcing the group's determination.
Legacy of Past Attacks and Current Measures
The spectre of past atrocities looms large over Germany's Christmas markets. Security has been significantly heightened since the 2016 Berlin Christmas market attack, which killed 12 people, and last year's deadly attack in Magdeburg that left six dead.
Bavaria's Interior Minister, Joachim Herrmann, hailed the arrests of the five men as a major success, stating: "A potentially Islamist-motivated attack in Bavaria has been prevented." Investigators said the plot was driven by radical Islamist ideology, a method seen in previous brutal attacks across Europe.
While the exact markets targeted in both recent plots have not been disclosed for security reasons, the consecutive interventions demonstrate the persistent threat and the intense vigilance of German security forces during the festive season.
