Arrest in Bavaria

Islamist planned to attack soldiers with a machete

(Bild: stock.adobe.com)

German authorities have apparently thwarted the bloody plan of an Islamist in time: a 27-year-old wanted to attack soldiers in the city center of Hof in Bavaria during their lunch break and kill as many as possible. The man had bought two machetes for the attack shortly beforehand. 

Investigators became aware of the Syrian-born man when he bought two machetes in Hof. The Munich public prosecutor's office had the young man arrested on Friday. According to the investigation, he wanted to attack soldiers in the city center while they were on their lunch break. 

Suspect wanted to "create a feeling of insecurity"
The 27-year-old had set himself the goal of killing as many soldiers as possible. "By committing this crime, the suspect wanted to cause a stir and create a feeling of insecurity among the population," explained the Munich Public Prosecutor General's Office in a statement.

View of the lower suburb and old town of Hof from Theresienstein

(Bild: Wikipedia/Flodur63 (CC BY-SA 4.0))

40 centimeter long machetes purchased
The suspect is now in prison on charges of preparing a serious act of violence endangering the state. The man had bought the murder weapons just a few days earlier - according to the investigators, the machetes are around 40 centimeters long. 

The authorities are convinced that the Syrian is a follower of a radical Islamic ideology. The Bavarian Central Office for Combating Extremism and Terrorism at the Munich Public Prosecutor General's Office has started further investigations.