Police Arrest Suspect in Multi-City North Rhine-Westphalia Anti-Terror Raids

German police arrested a 27-year-old man of Bosnian-Herzegovinian citizenship in Essen on suspicion of using fraud to finance a planned Islamist terrorist attack. Authorities conducted coordinated raids on six properties across North Rhine-Westphalia, including Essen, Dortmund, Düsseldorf, and Soest, as part of an investigation into organized commercial fraud linked to terrorism financing. The suspect allegedly resold expensive electronic devices he ordered but did not pay for, generating significant funds intended to support the attack. North Rhine-Westphalia's Interior Minister Herbert Reul emphasized the state's commitment to combating terrorism, warning that anyone planning terror acts would face swift police action. Other suspects remain under investigation, but it is unclear if they were aware of the intended use of the fraud proceeds. The investigations aim to prevent the execution of the attack and gather further evidence about the terrorist plot.