Anti-terror investigators arrested a 32-year-old in Castrop-Rauxel in the northern Ruhr area who is said to have prepared an Islamist attack. The Iranian national is suspected of having obtained the toxins cyanide and ricin for the crime, said the Düsseldorf public prosecutor, the Recklinghausen police and the Münster police early on Sunday morning. According to the Robert Koch Institute, ricin is listed under “biological weapons” in the war weapons list.
On the night of Sunday, the living quarters of the 32-year-old in Castrop-Rauxel were searched by order of the judge. The site was cordoned off over a wide area. Police, fire brigade and rescue workers were on site with a large contingent. Numerous emergency services wore protective suits, as reported by a dpa reporter.
“The accused is suspected of having prepared a serious act of violence that is dangerous to the state,” said the investigators. “The search serves to find corresponding toxins and other evidence.” The 32-year-old and one other person were taken into custody. “Evidence has been secured and is being evaluated.” It has not yet been decided whether the 32-year-old will be brought before a magistrate.
After the operation, most of the emergency services withdrew. The area around the stormed apartment initially remained largely cordoned off. A decontamination point has been set up at the Recklinghausen fire brigade, the “Ruhr Nachrichten” reported. Emergency services in protective suits took care of the items that had been seized and that had been brought to the fire brigade in blue drums.
