Two men, Kosovo-born brothers aged 28 and 31, were detained in the early hours of Friday, Der Spiegel said. According to the news magazine, police believe they were planning an attack on a shopping center in Oberhausen. Police are now investigating whether other people could be involved in the suspected plot.
During the raid, authorities had requested fire brigades and emergency services to be on standby in the area in case they had to intervene immediately in an emergency, Bild reported.
All Christmas markets and shops were closed at the Centro mall on Thursday evening as police conducted a special operation at the shopping center, according to Der Spiegel. On Monday, a truck rammed into the crowd at a Berlin Christmas market on the Breitscheidplatz square, killing 12 people and injuring over 40 others.
“We’re urgently investigating how far the preparations had got and whether more people were involved,” police say.
Friday morning arrests happened as police across Germany mobilized all resources to apprehend the perpetrator of Monday’s attack on a Berlin Christmas market.
