De Maiziere praises arrest of terror suspect

The terror suspect is set to appear before a judge later on Thursday for a detention hearing. He was arrested in an apartment in the upscale Berlin quarter of Schöneberg on Wednesday night.

According to preliminary information published by the German dpa news agency, authorities found no explosives during the raid.

Both the Berlin police and Germany's domestic intelligence agency monitored the man for some time ahead of the raid, the conservative "Die Welt" newspaper reported. At the same time, officials observed the migrant's accomplice of German heritage and of approximately the same age, the report added. Investigators were hoping to discover details of the migrant's plans by searching his communication devices.

Another Jaber Albakr?

German Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere on Thursday confirmed that the 27-year-old Syrian had been under surveillance. The minister also praised the vigilance of the security forces, saying the authorities were doing "everything to avoid terrorist attacks in Germany."

"I am very happy that this person has been successfully arrested," he told reporters.

The alleged "Islamic State" member told the police that he had arrived in Germany last year.

His arrest comes only weeks after another Syrian refugee, 22-year-old Jaber Albakr, was detained in Leipzig on suspicion of planning to bomb an airport in Germany. He was found dead in his prison cell several days later, apparently after hanging himself.

dj/sms (dpa AFP)