Alarm in Germany:

Teenager (17) planned attack on Christmas market

German investigators may have prevented a major bloodbath. State security arrested a 17-year-old who is said to have planned a terrorist attack on a Christmas market.

According to information from the "Bild" newspaper, the German-Turkish suspect is said to have targeted the Christmas market in the town of Elmshorn (state of Schleswig-Holstein). He wanted to kill people there with a truck.

Probably Islamist background
These clues come from monitored conversations and intercepted communications. Investigators suspect an Islamist background.

American intelligence service provided the first tip-off
The first tip-off about the suspected assassin came from an American intelligence agency in spring 2024 and initially reached the Federal Criminal Police Office before being followed up by the authorities in Schleswig-Holstein. In March, the public prosecutor's office in Flensburg took over the case, which ultimately led to his arrest on November 6. Since then, the 17-year-old has been in custody.

The senior public prosecutor in charge confirmed: "We are investigating on suspicion of preparing a serious act of violence endangering the state and conspiracy to commit a crime, namely murder. An arrest warrant has been issued for the 17-year-old suspect."

Almost 8 years ago: Attack on Berlin Christmas market
The case brings back memories of December 19, 2016, when the Islamist attacker Anis Amri drove a truck into the Berlin Christmas market on Breitscheidplatz. He killed 12 people and almost 170 were injured, some of them seriously. Another victim died in October 2021 from the long-term effects of his injuries.

Amri initially escaped unidentified, but a public manhunt was later launched for him. Amri's escape ended three and a half days later in northern Italy, where he was shot dead by an Italian police officer during a gunfight.