Germany, Russia thwart attack plots as ISIS threat looms
Russia said it foiled two plans to attack synagogues in as many months as the country reels from the Islamic State shooting at a concert hall.
German authorities arrested a group of teenagers on suspicions of planning an “Islamist-motivated” attack, prosecutors said on Friday, a day after Russian officials said they thwarted another plot against a synagogue.
Three teens aged 15 to 16 years old were arrested in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia after being “strongly suspected of planning an Islamist-motivated terror attack and of having committed to carrying it out,” prosecutors in Dusseldorf said, according to Agence France-Presse.
Separately, prosecutors in Stuttgart said a 16-year-old was placed in custody on “suspicion that he was preparing a serious crime endangering the state.” The prosecutors did not provide further details, saying the investigation is ongoing, AFP reported.
On Thursday, the Russian Federal Security Service said it thwarted a "a terrorist attack on a Jewish religious institution in Moscow at the time of a mass gathering.” The service described the perpetrator as a citizen of a Central Asian country, but did not provide further details, according to the Russian news agency Interfax.
Why it matters: The two incidents occurred at a time of heightened concern related to the Islamic State (ISIS), Islamist attacks and related incidents in Europe. In March, a mass shooting at the Crocus City Hall music venue near Moscow left at least 137 people dead. ISIS’ Khorasan branch (ISIS-K) claimed credit for the attack. ISIS-K draws most of its fighters from Central Asia.
Earlier this week, ISIS threatened to attack Champions League soccer matches in the United Kingdom, Spain and France. The games were played without incident.
The alleged synagogue plot that was thwarted on Thursday is the second in Russia in as many months. In late March, the Russian Federal Security Service said it prevented an armed attack by ISIS-K against a synagogue in Moscow, the official Tass news agency reported at the time.
Europe is experiencing a rise in antisemitic and Islamophobic incidents related to the Gaza war.
The same month, German authorities said they arrested two suspected ISIS supporters from Afghanistan who allegedly were plotting to attack the Swedish parliament.
ISIS and its Khorasan branch have been seeking to raise their profile recently, including via the Crocus City Hall attack, Cagatay Cebe and Riccardo Valle wrote for Al-Monitor late last month.
Know more: ISIS remains active in Iraq and Syria where it previously held territory. The group has attacked truffle hunters in Syria a few times this year, for example.
