Germany attackers were preparing a terrorist attack at a Christmas fair - mass media

In the German state of Bavaria law enforcers foiled a possible terrorist attack at a Christmas fair near the town of Dingolfing. This is reported by Welt with reference to the data of the prosecutor's office.

As part of a special operation were detained five men suspected of preparing an attack. For four of them the court issued arrest warrants, another one was placed under preventive arrest. The information was officially confirmed by the Munich prosecutor's office.

According to a representative of the prosecutor's office, the attackers planned to commit a terrorist attack using a car, directing it to the Christmas fair.

According to investigators, the detainees include three Moroccan nationals, an Egyptian and a Syrian. The 56-year-old Egyptian citizen, whom law enforcers describe as the group's mastermind, is considered a key figure. According to the investigation, he called for an attack at a mosque in the Dingolfing-Landau neighbourhood and encouraged others to implement the plan.

The operation took place with the participation of the SEK special unit in the area of the border crossing Suben. According to media reports, the signal to the German authorities came from foreign intelligence.

Bavarian Interior Minister Joachim Hermann thanked the security forces, emphasising that the operation showed the high efficiency of the security agencies:

We are capable of protecting our citizens. Thanks to well-coordinated co-operation we managed to prevent a potential Islamist-motivated attack in a short time," he said.

It should be noted that against the backdrop of the incident, security measures in Europe are being strengthened. Earlier in France's Strasbourg, a loaded gun was found near a Christmas fair, and in Germany's Magdeburg, authorities and traders are arguing about the risks of holding festive events due to the threat of extremism.