German-Bought Weapons Potentially Used In Paris Attacks

By Nicole Sagener*

(EurActiv) — Arrests have been made in Berlin in relation to a planned attack, and the weapons used in the Paris attacks are thought to have been bought in Germany.

According to Bild, the Paris attacks could have been carried out using weapons procured from a German dealer.

Citing documents from German investigators, Bild reports that four Kalashnikovs were ordered online from a Baden-Württemberg dealer in early November. Two of the weapons are of Chinese origin, while the other two are Yugoslavian. French investigators believe that these weapons were used in the attacks that left at least 130 people dead.

No prior information

French authorities have in the meantime confirmed that they received no prior information about the attacks. “The only information that we had in relation to the movements of the terrorists came to us the day after the attacks,” said Minister of the Interior Bernard Cazeneuve, in an interview on Thursday (26 November) on French television. The intelligence came “from a foreign service, outside of the European Union”.

Suspects arrested in Berlin

German authorities have been conducting their own anti-terror operations. Special forces arrested two people in Berlin suspected of planning a “significant criminal act”, after raiding an Islamic cultural centre.

The two men, whose identities have not been released, are 28 and 46 years old. No weapons or explosives were found in the suspect’s car, but there was a “suspicious object”. For safety reasons, neighbouring houses were evacuated as a precaution. The operation was carried out in the evening.

According to Tagesspiegel, suspicions were raised about the Syrian and Tunisian men and the possibility that they would carry out an attack on German soil. The threat was reportedly discovered by the German authorities themselves, without the assistance of external security services.

The German government has repeatedly emphasised in the wake of the Paris attacks that their country is also in the crosshairs of international terrorism and the threat level remains high.

EurActiv.de with agencies by Nicole Sagener translated by Samuel Morgan