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Germany Arrests Terrorist Suspect to Avert Israel Embassy Attack

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Police officers stand in front of the Israeli embassy, in Berlin, Oct. 19. Photographer: Maximilian Specht/picture alliance/Getty Images (picture alliance/Photographer: picture alliance/p)

(Bloomberg) -- Germany’s federal prosecutor arrested a suspected terrorist on Saturday evening to prevent a possible attack on the Israeli embassy in Berlin. 

The person, a citizen of Libya described as Omar A., is alleged to support the ideology of the so-called Islamic State terrorist organization and discussed attack plans with an IS member via a messenger service, the prosecutor’s office said Sunday in a statement. 3

The German government has been under pressure to boost security measures following violent attacks, including a stabbing in the city of Solingen two months ago that left three people dead and eight wounded. Last month, the country introduced a temporary extension of border controls to all of its nine land frontiers in a move to tackle irregular migration.

Opinion polls showed that frustration toward the government’s migration and asylum policies was a key reason as to why parties of the far-right and left surged in two regional elections in eastern Germany last month. The rise of the Alternative for Germany and a new leftist party — the Alliance Sahra Wagenknecht — has prompted federal government officials and members of the main opposition conservatives to push for stricter immigration rules. 

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