Denmark and Germany Hold 8, Including Syrians, on Terror Charges

German police officers secure a area during raids in Berlin. (Reuters File Photo)
German police officers secure a area during raids in Berlin. (Reuters File Photo)
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Denmark and Germany Hold 8, Including Syrians, on Terror Charges

German police officers secure a area during raids in Berlin. (Reuters File Photo)
German police officers secure a area during raids in Berlin. (Reuters File Photo)

German and Danish authorities said Thursday they have arrested three Syrian men on suspicion of planning a terrorist attack, and later five more terrorism-linked arrests were announced in Denmark.

It was not immediately clear whether all eight arrests were linked.

Klaus Tewes, spokesman for federal prosecutors in the eastern German town of Naumburg, said a warrant was issued for the three men, aged 33, 36 and 40, last weekend on charges of preparing a serious act of violence.

They're alleged to have purchased several kilograms of chemicals in January that could be used to manufacture explosives.

A search of a residence linked to the suspects in the city of Dessau-Rosslau, between Naumburg and Berlin, turned up 10 kilograms of black powder, and fuses.

Two of the suspects were arrested in Denmark, where more chemicals were seized. The third was arrested in Germany near Frankfurt. None of their names were given, The Associated Press reported.

Der Spiegel magazine reported that the three men were brothers, and that one of the two arrested in Denmark had been registered in Dessau. In addition to the chemicals, Spiegel reported that authorities found a homemade flag of ISIS in their search of the residence there.

In a separate statement Thursday afternoon, Danish authorities said that in addition to the two Syrians five more suspects had been arrested since the weekend. Their identities and nationalities were not made public.

The Danish Security and Intelligence Service said in a statement that all had been taken into custody from Feb. 6 to Feb. 8 on the island of Zealand, where Copenhagen sits.

They are suspected of “having planned one or more terrorist attacks or participated in attempted terrorism," AP quoted the statement as saying.

It was not immediately clear whether all were suspected of involvement in the same alleged terror plot or in different ones.

In a statement, the agency said the seven are suspected “of having acquired ingredients and components for the manufacture of explosives, as well as weapons, or having participated in this.”



Cyclone Hits La Reunion, Blowing Away Roofs and Cutting Power

This photograph shows a view of the city of La Possession on the French overseas Indian Ocean island of La Reunion, as cyclone Garance nears on February 28, 2025. (Photo by Richard BOUHET / AFP)
This photograph shows a view of the city of La Possession on the French overseas Indian Ocean island of La Reunion, as cyclone Garance nears on February 28, 2025. (Photo by Richard BOUHET / AFP)
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Cyclone Hits La Reunion, Blowing Away Roofs and Cutting Power

This photograph shows a view of the city of La Possession on the French overseas Indian Ocean island of La Reunion, as cyclone Garance nears on February 28, 2025. (Photo by Richard BOUHET / AFP)
This photograph shows a view of the city of La Possession on the French overseas Indian Ocean island of La Reunion, as cyclone Garance nears on February 28, 2025. (Photo by Richard BOUHET / AFP)

Cyclone Garance slammed into the French overseas territory of La Reunion with top wind speeds of 155 kph (96 mph) on Friday, blowing away roofs and cutting power and access to drinking water for many residents.
The island's prefect, Patrice Latron, said there were no reports so far of any deaths.
The cyclone made landfall in the north of the Indian Ocean island, which lies off Madagascar. It exited the southwest of the island several hours later, Meteo France weather agency said.
The prefecture said 180,000 households - about 42% of the electricity utility's customers - had lost power, and nearly 10% had no access to drinking water, Reuters reported.
The prefecture said the worst of the storm had passed and a storm alert had been downgraded from the highest level, purple, to red. This meant rescue workers could now leave their shelters and start to assess damage and help those affected.
A mandatory order for residents to stay indoors remained in place and authorities expected rough weather conditions until at least the end of the day.
Top winds had dropped to 130 kph (80 mph), Meteo France said, but higher gusts were possible on the southwest of the island, with heavy rains now seen as a bigger risk.
In nearby Mauritius, authorities reopened the airport after the threat from the storm eased.