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Crime

Germany: Student arrested over massacre threat

November 24, 2017

Police have arrested a 23-year-old man after a credible threat of violence was made against the University of Trier. The man allegedly threatened to attack the university with a semi-automatic weapon.

https://p.dw.com/p/2oCjY
Deutschland Amokdrohung an der Uni Trier
Image: picture alliance/dpa/B. Reichert

A student at Germany's University of Trier was arrested on Friday after a credible attack threat was made against the university, authorities said. The 23-year-old was detained for allegedly using the university's online portal to announce a plan "to storm, target and kill people with a semiautomatic weapon" in the university's largest auditorium.

The student was arrested by special forces after the police considered the "seriousness of the threat."

The would-be attacker was identified overnight with the help of the online portal's administrator and university officials. After securing a warrant, security forces raided the young man's apartment early on Friday and arrested him.

Police said they confiscated "extensive evidence" of his plans, but no semi-automatic weapon.

As a security precaution, the university auditorium and cafeteria were temporarily shut down.

The authorities in Trier said there was no evidence that the student had help or an accomplice for his plan.

es/kms (AFP, dpa)