Germany makes arrests over Sweden parliament attack plot

FRANKFURT, Germany — Two Afghans linked to the Daesh group were arrested in Germany on Tuesday on suspicion of planning an attack around Sweden’s parliament in retaliation for Koran burnings, prosecutors said.

The men, identified as Ibrahim M.G. and Ramin N., were detained in the Gera area of eastern Germany, the federal prosecutor’s office said in a statement.

Last summer, the first, an Daesh member, was tasked by the extriemist group with carrying out an attack in Europe in response to Koran burnings in Sweden, it said.

He is accused of plotting along with Ramin N. “to use firearms to kill police officers and other people in the area of the Swedish parliament in Stockholm”, prosecutors said.

“The pair made concrete preparations for this in close consultation with officials” from a regional branch of Daesh, the prosecutors added.

“In particular, they researched conditions around the possible crime scene on the Internet and tried several times — albeit unsuccessfully — to procure weapons.”

Karin Lutz, a spokeswoman for Sweden’s Security Service (Sapo), confirmed to AFP that they had been working with German police, but declined to give further details.

Both suspects are accused of plotting to commit a crime. Ibrahim M.G. is suspected of having supported and of having been a member of a terrorist organisation.

Ramin N. is accused of having supported a terrorist organisation.

Prior to the plot, they are also accused of having collected around 2,000 euros ($2,170) for Daesh in Germany, which was sent to the group via intermediaries.

Sweden has been on high alert since a series of Koran burnings across the country, mainly by immigration opponents, sparked outrage in the Muslim world.