The man was thought to have been following instructions disseminated by Islamic State on how to build the bomb</s>A Tunisian man arrested in Germany in possession of the deadly poison ricin and bomb-making material was planning a biological attack, the national police chief said Wednesday.

“Very concrete preparations had been made for an act with a … biological bomb, which is a first for Germany,” Holger Muench, head of the Federal Criminal Police Office, told public broadcaster ARD.

German police commandos on June 12 stormed the Cologne flat of the 29-year-old Tunisian migrant identified only as Sief Allah H. and discovered “toxic substances” that turned out to be ricin.

Produced by processing castor beans, ricin is 6,000 times more lethal than cyanide and has no known antidote.

German news weekly has reported the man was thought to have been following instructions disseminated by Islamic State on how to build a bomb containing ricin.

Prosecutors have charged that he was “strongly suspected of intentionally manufacturing biological weapons” but it remained unclear whether he was actively plotting an attack.

Muench said “we became aware of this person a few months ago, and then evidence emerged pointing to links to the so-called Islamic State”.

The case was an example of “good cooperation between security authorities, nationally and internationally”, he said.

daily has reported Germany received a tip-off from the CIA based on the suspect’s online purchases.

Islamist militant attacks using toxicological substances are possible at any time in Germany, a source in the BfV domestic intelligence service warned.

During the raid, said Muench, “we found a large number of castor seeds from which to make it (ricin), as well as the utensils you need to make an explosive device”.

“Which concrete target he had in mind we don’t know yet … and the question of possible accomplices also remains open,” said Muench.

Prosecutors say Sief Allah H. started buying the equipment and ingredients to make ricin in mid-May – including an online purchase of “a thousand castor seeds and an electric coffee grinder”.

He succeeded in manufacturing the toxin earlier this month.

The case comes less than a month after French authorities said they had foiled a terror attack possibly involving the use of ricin. Two brothers of Egyptian origin were arrested.

Germany remains on high alert after several deadly attacks claimed by the IS group, including a 2016 truck rampage through a Berlin Christmas market by Tunisian asylum seeker Anis Amri that claimed 12 lives.</s>BERLIN: A source in Germany's BfV domestic intelligence service said on Wednesday that Islamists could stage an attack in Germany at any time with the lethal toxin ricin.

A week ago, a 29-year-old Tunisian, named by authorities as Sief Allah H., was arrested in Cologne on suspicion of planning an Islamist-motivated attack and building a "biological weapon" using ricin.

The BfV source said Islamic State militants had experimented with ricin in the past and had also manufactured it. Islamic State, the source added, had offered detailed instructions on how to produce ricin in a handbook.

Holger Muench, president of the Federal Criminal Office, told the broadcaster RBB-Inforadio that the suspect had manufactured ricin, a poison found in castor beans, and that objects had been found in searches that could be used to make a bomb.

He added that the target for the suspected attack was not clear.</s>BERLIN: German police said Wednesday they had foiled a biological attack with last week´s arrest of a Tunisian suspected militant in possession of the deadly poison ricin and bomb-making material.

"Very concrete preparations had been made for an act with a ... biological bomb, which is a first for Germany," said Holger Muench, head of the BKA Federal Criminal Police Office. German police commandos on June 12 stormed the Cologne apartment of the 29-year-old Tunisian identified only as Sief Allah H. and discovered "toxic substances" that turned out to be ricin.

Produced by processing castor beans, ricin is lethal in minute doses if swallowed, inhaled or injected and 6,000 times more potent than cyanide, with no known antidote. Muench said, speaking to German public radio, that "we became aware of this person a few months ago, and then evidence emerged pointing to links to the so-called Islamic State".

The Tunisian man, who has been charged with possession of weapons of war and planning a serious act of violence against the state, was thought to have followed instructions on making a ricin bomb disseminated online by the IS.

"There are instructions on how to do this, including by militants' organisations, on the Internet, and this person was obviously guided by that," Muench said. Prosecutors have said he was "strongly suspected of intentionally manufacturing biological weapons", but they reiterated Wednesday they still lacked concrete indications or details of an attack plan.

The head of the BND foreign intelligence service, Hans-Georg Maassen, said that a "very likely" attack had been prevented thanks to "cooperation between security service at the national and international level," news agency DPA reported.

Bild daily has reported Germany received a warning from the CIA based on the suspect´s online purchases. The domestic intelligence service BfV said it also received a tip-off over a telephone hotline about the Tunisian, who is married to a German woman who recently converted to Islam, DPA reported.

During the police raid, said Muench, "we found a large number of castor seeds from which to make (ricin), as well as the utensils you need to make an explosive device". "Which concrete target he had in mind we don't know yet ... and the question of possible accomplices also remains open."

Prosecutors say Sief Allah H started buying the equipment and ingredients to make ricin in mid-May, including online purchases of thousands of "castor seeds and an electric coffee grinder".

Police had found over 3,000 castor seeds and 84 milligrams of ricin, as well as 950 grams of pyrotechnic powder, two bottles of flammable liquid, wires soldered to light bulbs and 240 metal balls. He had been in contact with militants and had tried twice last year to travel via Turkey to Syria, "presumably to the ´Islamic State´" bases there, they said in a statement.

The case comes after French authorities in mid-May said they had foiled an attack possibly involving ricin with the arrest of a 20-year-old Egyptian man. Interior Minister Gerard Collomb said it would have been committed "with explosives or ricin, this very powerful poison", and that the suspect "had tutorials that showed how to make ricin-based poisons".

The Egyptian man was tracked down through a pro-militant social media account, a source close to the investigation said. Germany remains on high alert after several deadly attacks claimed by the IS group, including a 2016 truck rampage through a Berlin Christmas market by Tunisian asylum seeker Anis Amri that claimed 12 lives.</s>A source in Germany’s BfV domestic intelligence service said on Wednesday that Islamists could stage an attack in Germany at any time with the lethal toxin ricin.

A week ago, a 29-year-old Tunisian, named by authorities as Sief Allah H., was arrested in Cologne on suspicion of planning an Islamist-motivated attack and building a “biological weapon” using ricin.

The BfV source said Islamic State militants had experimented with ricin in the past and had also manufactured it. Islamic State, the source added, had offered detailed instructions on how to produce ricin in a handbook.</s>Berlin : A Tunisian man arrested in Germany in possession of the deadly poison ricin and bomb-making material was planning a biological attack, the national police chief said today.

“Very concrete preparations had been made for an act with a … biological bomb, which is a first for Germany,” Holger Muench, head of the Federal Criminal Police Office, told public broadcaster ARD.German police commandos on June 12 stormed the Cologne apartment of the 29-year-old Tunisian migrant identified only as Sief Allah H. and discovered “toxic substances” that turned out to be ricin.

Produced by processing castor beans, ricin is 6,000 times more lethal than cyanide and has no known antidote. German news weekly Der Spiegel has reported the man was thought to have been following instructions disseminated by the Islamic State group on how to build a bomb containing ricin.

Prosecutors have charged that he was “strongly suspected of intentionally manufacturing biological weapons” but it remained unclear whether he was actively plotting an attack.</s>BERLIN - German police said Wednesday they had foiled a biological attack with last week's arrest of a Tunisian suspected jihadist in possession of the deadly poison ricin and bomb-making material.

"Very concrete preparations had been made for an act with a ... biological bomb, which is a first for Germany," said Holger Muench, head of the BKA Federal Criminal Police Office.

German police commandos on June 12 stormed the Cologne apartment of the 29-year-old Tunisian identified only as Sief Allah H. and discovered "toxic substances" that turned out to be ricin.

Produced by processing castor beans, ricin is lethal in minute doses if swallowed, inhaled or injected and 6,000 times more potent than cyanide, with no known antidote. Muench said, speaking to German public radio, that "we became aware of this person a few months ago, and then evidence emerged pointing to links to the so-called Islamic State".

The Tunisian man, who has been charged with possession of weapons of war and planning a serious act of violence against the state, was thought to have followed instructions on making a ricin bomb disseminated online by the IS. "There are instructions on how to do this, including by Islamist organisations, on the internet, and this person was obviously guided by that," Muench said. Prosecutors have said he was "strongly suspected of intentionally manufacturing biological weapons" - but they reiterated Wednesday they still lacked concrete indications or details of an attack plan. The head of the BND foreign intelligence service, Hans-Georg Maassen, said that a "very likely" attack had been prevented thanks to "cooperation between security service at the national and international level," news agency DPA reported.

Bild daily has reported Germany received a warning from the CIA based on the suspect's online purchases.

The domestic intelligence service BfV said it also received a tip-off over a telephone hotline about the Tunisian, who is married to a German woman who recently converted to Islam, DPA reported.

During the police raid, said Muench, "we found a large number of castor seeds from which to make (ricin), as well as the utensils you need to make an explosive device".

"Which concrete target he had in mind we don't know yet ... and the question of possible accomplices also remains open."

Prosecutors say Sief Allah H. started buying the equipment and ingredients to make ricin in mid-May - including online purchases of thousands of "castor seeds and an electric coffee grinder".

Police had found over 3,000 castor seeds and 84 milligrams of ricin, as well as 950 grams of pyrotechnic powder, two bottles of flammable liquid, wires soldered to light bulbs and 240 metal balls.

He had been in contact with radical Islamists and had tried twice last year to travel via Turkey to Syria, "presumably to the 'Islamic State'" bases there, they said in a statement.

The case comes after French authorities in mid-May said they had foiled an attack possibly involving ricin with the arrest of a 20-year-old Egyptian man.

Interior Minister Gerard Collomb said it would have been committed "with explosives or ricin, this very powerful poison", and that the suspect "had tutorials that showed how to make ricin-based poisons".

The Egyptian man was tracked down through a pro-jihadist social media account, a source close to the investigation said.

Germany remains on high alert after several deadly attacks claimed by the IS group, including a 2016 truck rampage through a Berlin Christmas market by Tunisian asylum seeker Anis Amri that claimed 12 lives.

Other attacks by radicalised Islamists saw a 26-year-old Palestinian stab six people, killing one, in Hamburg last year, and a 17-year-old Afghan with an axe attack five train passengers in Munich before police shot him dead in 2016.

Muench said security services are now more worried about the threat of radicalised individuals, including 770 persons considered by police as potentially violent, than an organised large-scale attack.

After the defeat of major IS bastions in Syria, he said, "we now consider a major attack like we saw in Paris and Brussels not entirely unlikely, but less likely because the so-called Islamic State has been weakened quite substantially."

"But we have a large number of radicalised persons and we need to keep an eye on them".</s>BERLIN (Reuters) - A 29-year-old Tunisian arrested last week on suspicion of producing the lethal toxic ricin was in contact with radical Islamists, and twice tried unsuccessfully to reach Islamic State in Syria, Germany’s top federal prosecutor said on Wednesday.

Peter Frank, head of the GBA Federal Prosecutor’s Office, told broadcaster SWR that the man, Sief Allah H., was not currently believed to have been a member of Islamic State, but was deeply involved with the Islamist scene.

“He was deeply anchored in the Islamist spectrum and was in contract with people from this spectrum,” Frank told the broadcaster.

The man was arrested in Cologne on suspicion of planning an Islamist-motivated attack and building a “biological weapon” with ricin, a poison found in castor beans.

The GBA on Wednesday said 3,150 grains of ricin - all ordered via the Internet - were seized during a search of the suspect’s home, along with 84.3 mg of prepared ricin.

German broadcaster ARD said even one ricin grain could be deadly for a child.

No comment was immediately available from prosecutors on the significance of the amount of ricin found. The number of ricin grains found were triple the amount initially reported by GBA.

Frank said the evidence at the scene indicated that the suspect was considering building an explosive device, but no possible target or timetable had been determined.

It was the first time Germany had dealt with a possible attack with a biological weapon, Frank said, although Islamist militants had discussed such an attack for some time in their communications.

“Islamist terrorists have repeatedly promoted diverse instructions, including for production of ricin from ricin grains, on their advertising channels,” Frank told SWR.

The case has fanned concerns about a possible Islamist attack using the lethal toxin after a similar case in France last month.

A source in Germany’s BfV domestic intelligence service said Islamists could stage such an attack in Germany at any time. Islamic State militants had experimented with ricin in the past and had also manufactured it, the source said.

Holger Muench, president of the Federal Criminal Office, told the broadcaster RBB-Inforadio in a separate interview that the Tunisian suspect had manufactured ricin and objects were found in searches that could be used to make a bomb.

GBA said the investigation showed the suspect had been in touch with people from the “radical Islamist” community, but investigators were still trying to determine if those people were themselves members of a militant group.

It said investigators also found 250 metal bearings, two bottles of acetone nail polish remover, wires and 950 grams of a grey powder that contained aluminum and explosive materials from fireworks.</s>Produced by processing castor beans, ricin is 6,000 times more lethal than cyanide and has no known antidote

A Tunisian man arrested in Germany in possession of the deadly poison ricin and bomb-making material was planning a biological attack, the national police chief said yesterday.

"Very concrete preparations had been made for an act with a ... biological bomb, which is a first for Germany," Holger Muench, head of the Federal Criminal Police Office, told public broadcaster ARD. German police commandos on June 12 stormed the Cologne apartment of the 29-year-old Tunisian migrant identified as Sief Allah and discovered "toxic substances" that turned out to be ricin.

Produced by processing castor beans, ricin is 6,000 times more lethal than cyanide and has no known antidote. German news weekly Der Spiegel has reported the man was thought to have been following instructions disseminated by the Islamic State group on how to build a bomb containing ricin.

Prosecutors have charged that he was "strongly suspected of intentionally manufacturing biological weapons", but it remained unclear whether he was actively plotting an attack.

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever</s>BERLIN (AP) — A call from the public was key to foiling an Islamic extremist's plan to use the toxin ricin to carry out a deadly attack in Germany, security officials said today.

The head of the country's domestic intelligence agency said a phone-in tip helped authorities confirm their suspicions about a 29-year-old Tunisian man in the city of Cologne. The suspect, named only as Sief Allah H. in line with German privacy laws, was arrested last week and remains in custody.

Hans-Georg Maassen, head of the BfV intelligence agency, said the alleged plot showed that the danger of an attack in Germany remains high.

According to federal prosecutors, about 3,150 castor bean seeds and 84.3 milligrams of ricin were found in the suspect's apartment along with the components needed to make a bomb.

Tiny amounts of ricin can kill an adult if eaten, injected or inhaled.

Prosecutors alleged that H. bought the seeds online and used instructions posted online by the Islamic State group to make ricin.

The suspect, who is married to a German woman, allegedly was in contact with Islamic radicals and twice tried to travel to Syria last year, investigators said. They are trying to determine if he was part of a coordinated extremist plot or acted on his own.

German security agencies first were warned about the man by foreign intelligence agencies, but the information provided wasn't conclusive enough to act upon, authorities said.
German authorities arrest a Tunisian man accused of building a ricin bomb.