Muslims arrested without evidence before German reunification festivities

Islam Times: German authorities have arrested four suspected Islamists believed to have plotted a "state-endangering act" ahead of festivities to celebrate German reunification.

Police announced Sunday that three men were arrested near the western German city of Bonn, where around 100,000 were expected to take part in German Unity Day celebrations attended by both Chancellor Angela Merkel and President Christian Wulff. A further suspect was taken in custody and later released in the state of Hesse.

Authorities had received information that the men, whom they described as being "from the Islamist scene," had illegally obtained weapons ahead of the events. But police found "no weapons or other dangerous objects" during their searches.

"There is neither evidence that the accused had links to terrorist groups nor that there were concrete preparations for an attack," said a spokesman for the Federal Prosecutions Office.

The agency, which handles domestic terrorist threats and has said it is tracking some 200 potential Islamist terrorists in Germany, did not see sufficient grounds for it to take over the investigation from the local police force.

Authorities also said they did not know of any concrete threats to the festivities, which are set to continue through Monday October 3, the 21st anniversary of German reunification.

Prior to the 10th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, police in Berlin arrested two suspected terrorists, who are still being held for questioning.