German police launch terror raids

Police in southern and western Germany have raided 11 buildings in a search for evidence against a group accused of planning terrorist attacks.

The Federal Prosecutor's Office said 160 agents had detained people for questioning in the pre-dawn raids, in or near the cities of Munich, Wiesbaden, Mannheim, Ludwigshafen and Worms.

The detainees are suspected of forming an Islamic terrorist organisation with international links that planned attacks, the office said in a statement.

It added that the operation was being carried out in close co-operation with authorities in Turkey and Lebanon.

One member of the group - who is suspected of spying on possible terrorism targets - is said to be in Turkey.

Another two were arrested in Lebanon in September 2002 for allegedly setting up a terrorist association and falsifying passports.

Earlier raids

The prosecutor's statement added that there was no evidence of any links to the 11 September 2001 attacks on America.

There are not thought to be any links between the latest raids and a police operation last Thursday at two Islamic centres suspected of sheltering a terrorist group.

In the earlier raids, three men were held for questioning but later released.

Wednesday's raids coincide with the beginning of arguments by the defence in the Hamburg trial of 11 September terror suspect Mounir al-Motassadek.