The German authorities have thwarted a planned attack on an asylum seekers’ center in the east of the country, they report on Thursday. A 21-year-old suspect was arrested. The Public Prosecution Service of Dresden reports this.
After an anonymous tip, two buildings in the Mayßen region were searched. During the house searches, explosives were found in the form of two ball bombs, but also knives, ammunition, and gas and softair weapons.
The suspect is said to have prepared an attack for an asylum reception in the city of Senftenberg, in the state of Brandenburg.
The fight against illegal immigration is one of major election themes in the federal elections of 23 February in Germany. The largest economy in Europe is one of the most important countries for asylum seekers in Europe, and the extreme right -wing party AfD, which demands mass evictions from foreigners, is in second place in the polls, behind the conservatives.
In recent months, Germany has experienced a series of fatal violence incidents involved in foreign citizens, which fueled the debate on asylum policy.