Germany: Three IS Alleged Money Sponsors Arrested
German authorities have arrested three young men suspected of giving money to IS sympathizers, ready to join the terrorist group in Syria and Iraq at the time German authorities fear infiltration of IS militants in the army ranks, reports say.
The three men, a 25-year old German and two Turkish citizens aged between 20 and 25, were according to Stuttgart judicial authorities arrested on Sunday around and in the city of Ulm on the suspicion of providing financial support to recruits. The three “are suspected of sending money, collected while distributing copies of the Quran, directly or indirectly to members of ISIS,” according to Stuttgart prosecutors.
The prosecutors on Wednesday told the media that the three young men had been already banned from leaving Germany, preventing them from heading off to train with ISIS.
A judge on Monday ordered the suspects be kept in custody pending possible charges, Al Arabia English service reports.
The three men’s arrest came to light as German authorities have been puzzled with defection of army personnel and the infiltration of IS militants into the Bundeswehr (German Army.)
An internal German Army report released Monday reveals that at least 29 soldiers have joined ISIS in Syria or Iraq in recent years, while 65 active soldiers are under investigation on suspicion of having Islamist sympathies, reports say.
According to German military counter intelligence service (MAD,) the 29 soldiers fled to IS battle fronts in the Middle East.
Another background check in the army reveals that 22 have been identified as Islamists while 17 of them have been revoked from their duties.
A total of 320 suspected cases of Islamism have been investigated since 2007, according to German authorities.
The revelations have created fears among German authorities, with the Defense Ministry demanding implementation of tough rules to prevent further infiltration of IS militants into the army.
According to the International Centre for Counter-Terrorism, around 760 Germans have joined IS in war zones where the group is engaged.
German security forces have been put on alert as the country braces up for likely IS attacks even though there is no immediate intelligence on planned attacks in the European country.
