Germany: Police conduct raids over suspected 'Islamist-motivated' plot

M/S Clock inside the Berlin Public Prosecutor's Office building, Berlin
M/S Ornamental scale
SOT, Martin Steltner, Spokesperson for the Berlin Public Prosecutor's Office (German): "The Berlin Public Prosecutor's Office has started a probe into a planned violent crime. The raids are being conducted mainly in Berlin, as well as in Brandenburg, Thuringia and North Rhine-Westphalia. There are several persons of the Chechen origin from the Islamist-linked background under the investigation. They are suspected of allegedly planning and choosing possible prime targets for attacks."
M/S Ornamental scale *CUTAWAY*
SOT, Martin Steltner, Spokesperson for the Berlin Public Prosecutor's Office (German): "Due to police inspection and from mobile phone recordings we got evidence that several possible prime targets for attacks could have been chosen. The alleged offenders are suspected to be involved in the Islamist scene. During the police search, a number of stabbing weapons and data carriers have been seized. It is still to determine to what extent the suspects were planning to use the collected evidence for the planning of a possible attack."
M/S Ornamental scale *CUTAWAY*
SOT, Martin Steltner, Spokesperson for the Berlin Public Prosecutor's Office (German): "Just normal criminal proceedings are in place. The evidence should be collected, verified and analysed. Then it should be determined whether the current evidence is sufficient enough to prosecute. When that's the case, then legal proceedings will be brought. When that's not the case, then no."
C/U Press centre of the Berlin Public Prosecutor's Office
M/S Ornamental scale
M/S Berlin Public Prosecutor's Office
C/U Sign
W/S Berlin Public Prosecutor's Office
SCRIPT
Berlin Public Prosecutor's Office confirmed police have been conducting raids in four German states Tuesday on suspicion of a "Islamist-motivated" violent attack plot.
Spokesperson for the Berlin Public Prosecutor's Office Martin Steltner told Ruptly in Berlin on Tuesday "there are several persons of the Chechen origin from the Islamist-linked background under the investigation."
"They are suspected of allegedly planning and choosing possible prime targets for attacks," he added.
Steltner continued: "Due to police inspection and from mobile phone recordings we got evidence that several possible prime targets for attacks could have been chosen."
Some 180 officers took part in the raids in nine locations across Berlin, Brandenburg, Thuringia and North Rhine-Westphalia, during which they confiscated mobile phones, stabbing weapons and data carriers.