Police raids after bomb threats to mosques in Germany

BERLIN-Anadolu Agency

Police raided seven locations across Germany on Oct. 9 as part of an investigation into bomb threats sent by far-right extremists to mosques and politicians. 

Bavarian Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann said in a statement that six suspects were arrested on suspicion of sending Islamophobic messages, bomb threats to mosques, political parties and media institutions.

"Such e-mail threats aim at scaring people and disturbing social peace," he said, adding that authorities will continue to fight extremism by every possible means.

Police seized several hard disk drives during the searches in the federal states of Bavaria, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Thuringia and Saxony-Anhalt.

The suspects were later released under investigation while enquiries were ongoing.

In recent months, more than a dozen mosques, party headquarters and news agencies received bomb threats, purportedly sent by far-right terror organizations such as Blood and Honour, Combat 18 and Volksfront.

2 killed in an armed attack near synagogue

At least two people were killed in an armed attack outside a synagogue in eastern Germany, local media reported on Oct. 9.

The assailants shot at people outside a synagogue in Halle city and threw a hand grenade at a nearby Jewish cemetery, local daily Bild reported.

Eyewitnesses told n-tv television that one of the assailants, who was wearing a military camouflage, shot several times at a nearby doner restaurant.

Police have confirmed on Twitter that at least two people were killed in the attack, and warned that the assailants fled the scene in a vehicle. People in the area were urged to stay in their homes.