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German federal prosecutors have charged a Russian teenager with plotting an attack on the Israeli embassy in Berlin and attempting to join the Islamic State terrorist group, Reuters reported on Wednesday.The suspect, identified only as Akhmad E. in line with German privacy laws, allegedly sought online instructions for building explosives but was unable to acquire the necessary materials.
“From the beginning of February, he planned to carry out an attack in Germany, for example on the Israeli embassy in Berlin,” prosecutors said.
He was charged on Aug. 7 with preparing and inciting a serious act of violence endangering the state, and attempting to join a terrorist organization abroad while still a minor.
Prosecutors suspect he was en route to Pakistan for military training with ISIS, and financed the trip by selling smartphones obtained through fraudulent mobile phone contracts.
Authorities also accuse him of translating propaganda into Russian and Chechen for ISIS.
According to German news outlet Deutsche Welle in February, German police arrested the 18-year-old on Feb. 20 in Brandenburg, the state surrounding Berlin, after receiving a tip-off. Riot police and special units took part in the operation.
At the time, officials said the man had no prior criminal record. Two other suspects were believed to have been linked to the plan but were thought to have left Germany, according to media reports.
The case underscores ongoing concerns about Islamist radicalization among young people in Germany, particularly regarding potential threats against Israeli and Jewish targets.
