'Ilyas Kashmiri plotting attacks in Germany'

BERLIN: German intelligence agents have received evidence from the US that al-Qaida has sent two to four terrorists to Germany and UK via India and the UAE, media reported on Wednesday. The mastermind behind the possible attacks was named as Mohammed Ilyas Kashmiri, a leading al-Qaida figure from Pakistan. He is also alleged to be behind a bomb attack earlier this year on the German Bakery in Pune, India, in which 17 people were killed.

Kashmiri reportedly recruited the men for the latest planned attacks in the Afghan-Pakistani border region. Their identity was not known. Germany said on Wednesday it was tightening security at airports and train stations after receiving concrete evidence of planned terrorist attacks in the country, including one this month. "From today, there will be a visible police presence. I thought it should be explained to citizens," interior minister Thomas De Maiziere told a hastily called press conference in Berlin. "There will also be a variety of measures that will not be visible. There is reason for concern, but no reason for hysteria," he added.

"According to information from a foreign partner which came to us after the Yemen incident, we suspect a planned attack is due to be put into action at the end of November ," De Maiziere said. Last month authorities discovered two US-bound parcel bombs originating from Yemen, one of which went through Cologne airport in western Germany.

Citing security sources, the Tagesspiegel daily said the United States had tipped off Berlin that between two and four al-Qaida operatives were on their way to Germany and Britain to attempt attacks. Among the targets Tagesspiegel cited were Germany's popular Christmas markets. The paper added the militants were expected to arrive in Germany on November 22 via India or the United Arab Emirates. Announcing heightened security measures De Maiziere said, "These are designed to be preventative and act as a deterrent."

In addition to beefed-up security, there could also be tighter checks on the external borders of the European Schengen visa-free travel zone, the minister said. Earlier this month, police arrested a man over videos published on the Internet threatening bomb attacks unless an Islamist jailed earlier this year is released.

Read more:

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/europe/Ilyas-Kashmiri-plotting-attacks-in-Germany/articleshow/6945000.cms#ixzz15bUI7vVm