Report: German police arrest 3 suspected of planning bomb attack

BERLIN — German news site Spiegel Online reports that police have arrested three men on suspicion of planning to carry out a bomb attack.

The site reported that the three Iraqis were arrested early Wednesday around Dithmarschen, in the northern state of Schleswig-Holstein.

A spokeswoman for Germany’s federal police, Daniela Kiss, confirmed that officers were involved in an operation together with state police, but referred to federal prosecutors for further details.

German federal prosecutors, who couldn’t immediately confirm the reports, are responsible for investigating serious crimes including terrorism.

Spiegel Online reports the men, identified as Shahin F., Hersh S. and Rauf S., wanted to use fireworks to build an explosive and had ordered a detonator from Britain.

Their surnames weren’t provided in line with German privacy rules. /kga