Three men face charges over an alleged plot to target a Jewish site in western Germany, prosecutors said on Tuesday, according to The Associated Press.
The primary suspect, a 25-year-old German citizen, reportedly traveled to Istanbul in April with intentions to continue to Syria to join Islamic extremist fighters. His plans were thwarted, and he eventually returned to Germany, as stated by Stuttgart prosecutors. His name remains undisclosed under local privacy regulations.
Prosecutors claim that, following his return, he collaborated with an 18-year-old dual German-Turkish citizen to plan an attack on a Jewish site, potentially in Heidelberg or Mannheim. They allegedly discussed intentions of provoking a fatal police response and having a video released to claim responsibility. This video was purportedly intended to criticize German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and his stance on Israel.
The main suspect is already detained, accused of attempted manslaughter of a German police officer during a raid in May connected to the alleged plot. He now faces additional charges of preparing a serious act of violence and conspiracy to commit murder.
The 18-year-old, also in custody, has been charged as an accessory to preparing a serious act of violence and conspiracy to commit murder.
A second 25-year-old German is accused of driving the main suspect to Stuttgart Airport, fully aware of the suspect's intent to reach Syria. This individual has been charged with acting as an accessory in the preparation of a serious act of violence.
The state court in Heilbronn will determine if, and when, the case will proceed to trial.
Germany has been on high alert for possible Islamist attacks for several years and especially since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war on October 7 of last year.
The country's domestic intelligence chief warned that the risk of such assaults is "real and higher than it has been for a long time".
In late October of 2023, police in the western German city of Essen arrested a man who plotted to attack a pro-Israel demonstration.
In December of that year, a 15-year-old boy was arrested in western Germany on suspicion of planning a possible attack on a Christmas market.
Weeks later German police arrested three people over an alleged attack plot targeting the cathedral in Cologne on New Year's Eve.
In late May, German authorities arrested two men suspected of plotting a knife attack on worshippers at a synagogue in the southwestern city of Heidelberg.
In June, an Iraqi man who is accused of standing by to carry out attacks for the Islamic State (ISIS) group after he arrived in Germany in 2022 was arrested in Esslingen, near Stuttgart.