Man with previous conviction for IS membership detained in Germany, suspected of murder plan

BERLIN (AP) — A man with a previous conviction for membership in the Islamic State group has been detained in Germany and is under investigation on suspicion of conspiring to commit murder, prosecutors said Wednesday.

The 29-year-old, whose identity wasn’t released in keeping with German privacy rules, was detained Tuesday at his apartment in the western city of Duisburg.

Prosecutors in Duesseldorf said there were indications the suspect “may have been in contact with a person resident abroad in a criminally relevant way.” They did not elaborate.

Neither they nor police addressed German media reports, which named no sources, that investigators suspect the man may have intended to attack a pro-Israel demonstration, possibly using a truck.

Prosecutors said the Duesseldorf state court in 2017 gave the man a five-year sentence under juvenile law for membership in IS and other offenses, which he served.