Posted on 08/24/2006 4:27:47 AM PDT by blam
Lebanon holds train bomb suspect
German police released security camera footage last week
A second suspect in last month's alleged plot to blow up German trains has been arrested in Lebanon, prosecutors in Germany say. They say Jihad Hamad, 19, turned himself in to police in the northern city of Tripoli.
The other suspect, a 21-year-old Lebanese student, was arrested in the German city of Kiel last week.
Two bombs were found on trains in Dortmund and Koblenz in late July. The devices failed to go off, police said.
The bombers had intended to kill large numbers of people, police said.
Security has since been stepped up at German airports and the rail authorities have announced they are installing more closed circuit TV cameras at stations.
'Video lead'
German prosecutors say they are arranging to have the second suspect extradited to Germany.
The first suspect was arrested in Kiel on 19 August. He has been living in Germany since 2004, officials said.
The arrests follow the release of closed-circuit TV footage of two male suspects by police last week.
In the video, the two suspects - dark-haired young men - are seen wheeling suitcases at Cologne station.
Timers
Investigators first thought the bombs were part of a blackmail attempt but they now believe the incident was the work of a terrorist group based in Germany.
A note written in Arabic, a telephone number in Lebanon, and packets of starch with labels in Arabic and English were found alongside the devices.
The identical suitcase bombs were fitted with timers set to go off 10 minutes before the trains arrived in Dortmund and Koblenz.
Police think they failed to detonate because of a construction flaw.
I can't believe that someone with the first name of "Jihad" would be involved in such dealings.
I can't believe someone with the first name of "Jihad" would turn himself in.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.