Authorities have confirmed that a German man was arrested on suspicion of procuring deadly poisons ricin and cyanide to be used in “Islamist-motivated” attacks.
On Sunday, the 32-year-old Iranian was arrested in Castrop-Rauxel in western Germany.
According to a joint press release by the Dusseldorf police and the public prosecutor, the suspect was allegedly involved in preparing a serious act or violence that could endanger the state. He allegedly purchased cyanide and/or ricin to carry out an Islamist-motivated terrorist attack.
Herbert Reul, Germany’s Interior Minister, said: “We had an alarming tip that prompted us to call the police and have them intervene in the middle of the night.”
“The authorities are now investigating at maximum speed.”
As part of the searches, a second person, who was confirmed to be the suspect’s brother, also got detained.
After receiving a tip from a German agency, police raided the suspect’s house.
Although police could not confirm the identity, Bild in Germany claimed that the FBI was the agency.
During the raid, electronic devices were confiscated by German police.
Holger Heming, the Dusseldorf public procuror’s office, told reporters that they didn’t find ricin or cyanide during their search.
Ricin, a powerful toxin, is found in the seeds of castor oil plants, which are native to parts of India, the Middle East and eastern Africa.
Exposure to even a tiny amount can lead to death in as little as 36 to 72 hours.
It is believed that the poison was used in the 1978 assassination in London of Georgi Markov, a dissident from Bulgaria.
The pellet was fired through Mr Markov’s leg using a specially designed umbrella. Later, it was claimed that the bullet was administered by a member the Bulgarian Secret Service.
The same goes for cyanide which is found in certain seeds and fruit stones and can also be toxic to animals and humans.
It is deadly but it is useful in the mining of gold and silver to separate metals from other solids.
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