Libyan arrested, to appear in Germany court over suspected Israel embassy plot

A Libyan national suspected of planning an attack on the Israeli embassy in Berlin and links to the Islamic State (IS) group will appear before a judge on Sunday, German prosecutors said.

The suspect, identified only as Omar A., was arrested on Saturday evening at his home in Bernau, just outside the German capital, the federal prosecutors' office said.

Omar A. was accused of planning a "high-profile attack with firearms" on the Israeli embassy in Berlin, they said.

As part of his preparations, Omar A. was suspected of having "exchanges with a member of IS in a messenger chat", said the prosecutors, who described him as a supporter of the group's ideology.

Germany has been criticised for its support for Israel while the latter wages an indiscriminate military campaign in the Gaza Strip, killing at least 42,603 Palestinians since October 7 last year.

Berlin has vowed to send weapons to Israel and has suppressed pro-Palestinian protests and events in the country.

Prosecutors said Omar A. would appear on Sunday before a judge who would decide if he should be remanded in custody.

Authorities said they searched the 28-year-old's home in Bernau on Saturday.

They also searched the property near Bonn of another person "not suspected" of involvement in the alleged plan.

German daily Bild said the flat in the town of Sankt Augustin near Bonn belonged to the suspect's uncle, who was being treated as a witness.

German authorities arrested Omar A. after a tip-off from a foreign intelligence agency, Bild said, adding that he had not been on any watchlist in Germany.

Bild said the Libyan man was thought to have entered Germany in November 2022 and to have made a request for asylum the following January, which was rejected in September 2023.

Since the start of Israel's onslaught in Gaza, German authorities have increased vigilance about possible attacks or incidents in the country.