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| Germany foils 'massive' bomb plot | Germany foils 'massive' bomb plot |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Three men have been arrested in Germany on suspicion of planning a "massive" terrorist attack on US facilities in the country, officials have said. | Three men have been arrested in Germany on suspicion of planning a "massive" terrorist attack on US facilities in the country, officials have said. |
| Federal prosecutor Monika Harms said the three had trained at camps in Pakistan and procured some 700kg (1,500lbs) of chemicals for explosives. | Federal prosecutor Monika Harms said the three had trained at camps in Pakistan and procured some 700kg (1,500lbs) of chemicals for explosives. |
| She said the accused had sought to target facilities visited by Americans, such as nightclubs, pubs or airports. | She said the accused had sought to target facilities visited by Americans, such as nightclubs, pubs or airports. |
| Defence Minister Franz Josef Jung said the men had posed "an imminent threat". | Defence Minister Franz Josef Jung said the men had posed "an imminent threat". |
| Media reports said they were planning attacks against a US military base in Ramstein and Frankfurt airport. | Media reports said they were planning attacks against a US military base in Ramstein and Frankfurt airport. |
| Surveillance effort | Surveillance effort |
| Ms Harms said the men planned to use vehicles loaded with the explosives to kill or injure large numbers of people. | Ms Harms said the men planned to use vehicles loaded with the explosives to kill or injure large numbers of people. |
| The arrests had prevented "massive bomb attacks", she said. | The arrests had prevented "massive bomb attacks", she said. |
| The suspects, aged 22, 28 and 29, were alleged to be members of the German cell of a group she named as Islamic Jihad Union. | The suspects, aged 22, 28 and 29, were alleged to be members of the German cell of a group she named as Islamic Jihad Union. |
| Two of the men were German nationals who had converted to Islam, while the third was a Turkish man. | Two of the men were German nationals who had converted to Islam, while the third was a Turkish man. |
| Ms Harms said the al-Qaeda-linked group had set up the cell last year. | Ms Harms said the al-Qaeda-linked group had set up the cell last year. |
| All three men had attended a training camp in Pakistan, police sources said. | All three men had attended a training camp in Pakistan, police sources said. |
| Joerg Ziercke, the head of Germany's federal crime office, said the men had a "profound hatred of US citizens". | Joerg Ziercke, the head of Germany's federal crime office, said the men had a "profound hatred of US citizens". |
| They had been under surveillance for six months, but the authorities decided to act when it became clear the men were planning to move their huge stores of hydrogen peroxide. | They had been under surveillance for six months, but the authorities decided to act when it became clear the men were planning to move their huge stores of hydrogen peroxide. |
| They were arrested on Tuesday afternoon in a raid on an apartment in North Rhine-Westphalia. | They were arrested on Tuesday afternoon in a raid on an apartment in North Rhine-Westphalia. |
| Airports were among the reported targets | Airports were among the reported targets |
| Another 40 raids were also been carried out on properties across the country. | Another 40 raids were also been carried out on properties across the country. |
| Mr Ziercke told Agence France-Presse news agency one of the three arrested had been detained for allegedly spying on a US base at Hanau in December, but was freed shortly afterwards. | |
| Interior Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble called the men "very dangerous terrorists". | Interior Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble called the men "very dangerous terrorists". |
| "They obviously planned these attacks on the orders of an international network," he said. | "They obviously planned these attacks on the orders of an international network," he said. |
| Mr Schaeuble said one man was linked to a mosque in the southern city of Neu-Ulm that authorities had suspected for years was an extremist base. | Mr Schaeuble said one man was linked to a mosque in the southern city of Neu-Ulm that authorities had suspected for years was an extremist base. |
| Growing concerns | Growing concerns |
| Frankfurt airport is continental Europe's busiest, and the base at Ramstein in western Germany is a major transport hub for US military operations. | Frankfurt airport is continental Europe's busiest, and the base at Ramstein in western Germany is a major transport hub for US military operations. |
| Germany, which has soldiers in Afghanistan but did not send troops to Iraq, has been largely spared terrorist attacks. | Germany, which has soldiers in Afghanistan but did not send troops to Iraq, has been largely spared terrorist attacks. |
| However, there have been growing concerns that Islamist militants are operating in the country. | However, there have been growing concerns that Islamist militants are operating in the country. |
| Six years ago, the northern city of Hamburg was thrust into the spotlight after it emerged a cell had used it as a base for planning the 11 September 2001 attacks in the US. | Six years ago, the northern city of Hamburg was thrust into the spotlight after it emerged a cell had used it as a base for planning the 11 September 2001 attacks in the US. |
| Last summer, two suitcase bombs were planted on commuter trains in several German towns but they failed to explode. | Last summer, two suitcase bombs were planted on commuter trains in several German towns but they failed to explode. |
| On Monday, two people with suspected links to al-Qaeda were arrested in Denmark on suspicion of planning a bomb attack. | On Monday, two people with suspected links to al-Qaeda were arrested in Denmark on suspicion of planning a bomb attack. |