by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Europe Bureau Chief
BERLIN/BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – German authorities have detained five men in southern Germany over an alleged plot to carry out a “possibly Islamist-motivated attack” on a Christmas market, officials confirmed late Friday.
The suspected attack targeted a Christmas market in the Bavarian city of Dingolfing and was thwarted following a tip from a foreign intelligence service, according to German media reports and prosecutors.
Authorities said the alert prompted an urgent police operation, leading to the arrest of five suspects on Friday. The Munich public prosecutor’s office confirmed that those detained include a 56-year-old Egyptian national, a 37-year-old Syrian national, and three Moroccan nationals aged 22, 28, and 30.
German newspaper Bild and other outlets reported that the alleged plot was uncovered after German security services received specific intelligence from a foreign intelligence service. Officials have declined to identify the country involved or the precise nature of the information.
German police said the tip was considered credible enough to justify immediate intervention, particularly given heightened security concerns surrounding Christmas markets, which have previously been targeted in deadly attacks service.
SUSPECTED UNDER INVESTIGATION
Investigators believe the suspects may have planned to ram a vehicle into a crowded Christmas market, a tactic used in past extremist attacks in Europe.
Yet authorities stressed that it remains unclear how advanced or operational the plans were, and no specific date for a possible attack was confirmed.
Prosecutors said the investigation is ongoing and that charges have not yet been finalized, as evidence is still being assessed.
Germany traditionally increases security around Christmas markets following a series of attacks in Europe in recent years, including the 2016 Berlin Christmas market attack, which killed 12 people.
Officials emphasized that the swift action in Dingolfing demonstrates improved intelligence sharing and rapid response capabilities, though they cautioned against drawing premature conclusions about motives.
Authorities urged the public to remain calm, saying there is no indication of an immediate threat to other Christmas markets at this time.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
More Worthy News
Israel expanded its military campaign against Hezbollah on Monday, striking more than 70 targets across Lebanon as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to increase pressure on the Iranian-backed terror group following a sharp rise in drone and rocket attacks on northern Israel.
A federal appeals court is weighing whether Kansas City can use its public accommodation ordinance to require Christian counselors to counsel gay married couples despite the counselors’ biblical convictions on marriage and sexuality.
Tens of thousands of evangelical Christians gathered in the Netherlands for one of Europe’s largest multi-day Christian events, with organizers and participants expressing hopes for spiritual revival in the nation and across Europe.
President Donald Trump pushed back Monday against sharp criticism from Republicans and former administration officials over a potential U.S.-Iran agreement, insisting that any final accord must prevent Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon or it will not be signed.
President Donald Trump said Monday that countries involved in negotiations over Iran should be required to join the Abraham Accords, signaling that the White House is seeking to turn a possible Iran agreement into a wider regional realignment that includes normalization with Israel.
Tensions remained high in Serbia’s capital Belgrade on Sunday after at least tens of thousands of people demanded elections and rallied against what they view as the increasingly authoritarian rule of President Aleksandar Vučić, with violence erupting after the protest and more than 20 people arrested.
Investigations were ongoing Sunday into the killing of three senior Kuki-Thadou Christian church leaders by unidentified gunmen in India’s northeastern Manipur State, Christian investigators told Worthy News.