Man suspected of planning terrorist attack arrested in Germany

Berlin (dpa) - A man suspected of links to the Islamic State extremist group has been arrested in Germany for allegedly planning an attack in the city of Karlsruhe.The 29-year-old German citizen, identified only as Dasbar W, was wanted in connection with a planned criminal act that posed a grave threat to the state, the Federal Prosecutor General said on Wednesday.He was arrested on Wednesday in Karlsruhe in the country‘s south-west.Investigators said he planned to ram a vehicle into the stands surrounding an ice rink at the city‘s central palace square and that he had been carrying out research on the target since late August.He had reportedly been applying for jobs as a driver at various delivery companies since September, without success.He is to appear before a federal court judge on Thursday.Dasbar W also stands accused of creating propaganda for Islamic State and promoting its ideology via Whatsapp group chats.Prosecutors said he travelled to Iraq in 2015-16, where is thought to have joined the terrorist network and received training in the use of firearms. He also allegedly carried out reconnaisance for militant attacks in the city of Erbil in Iraqi Kurdistan.