Germany detains three Islamic State suspects over attack plan

German police

BERLIN (Reuters) - German police detained three people in the western city of Offenbach on Tuesday on suspicion of planning a bomb attack on behalf of the Islamic State militant group, prosecutors said.

The three suspects wanted to kill as many “infidels” as possible in the planned attack in the Rhine-Main region, Frankfurt prosecutor Nadja Niesen said in a statement.

The main suspect is a 24-year-old German of Macedonian origin who wanted to manufacture explosives and had tried to buy a weapon online. His two accomplices are Turkish nationals aged 22 and 21.

The three suspects are believed to have told people in the past that they identified themselves as IS supporters, Niesen said.

Substances that could be used to make explosives and equipment were found at the main suspect’s home, she said. The authorities also secured written documents and electronic data.

The main suspect is due to be brought before the investigating judge at a court in Frankfurt later on Tuesday. The judge will decide whether to issue an arrest warrant and order pre-trial detention.