Sweden/Germany: Two Syrian Brothers Charged in Germany for Planning Attack on Swedish Church

Hat tip Gates of Vienna.

Anas Kiwan, 28, -Bild

Ahmad Kiwan, 24,-Bild

This story is just breaking. Two Syrian brothers who were earlier arrested in Germany for planning to carry out a terror attack were reportedly planning to blow up a Swedish church. The below article from the Swedish news source, Aftonbladet, is translated by Fousesquawk. Note there may be discrepancies as to translation since the article is being updated.

 https://www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/a/76LBpB/broder-gripna-for-terrorplaner-mot-svensk-kyrka

Bothers arrested for terror plans against Swedish church

By Ebba Torstensson

Posted today 03:34. Updated less than 50 minutes ago.

News

The brothers Anas Kiwan, 28 and Ahmad Kiwan, 24 were arrested in Germany, suspected of having planned a terror attack, writes Bild.

The Koran burnings in Sweden earlier this year are reportedly the reason for the terror plans.

"We have been able to establish that the target was a Swedish church, but we cannot go into details as to which (church) or where it was located in Sweden," says Chief Prosecutor Oechering to TT (Swedish news). 

The two brothers, who are Syrian citizens, were arrested in Germany a month ago.

Anas Kiwan, 28, was arrested in Hamburg. In the (arrest), police found components that can be used to make an explosive device. According to the German newspaper, Welt, it was a bomb belt that would be used in the crime.

Caption: Anas Kiwan, 28

The younger brother, Ahmad Kiwan, 24, was arrested in Kempten in Bavaria. Since the arrest, the suspicions against him have been strengthened.  He was first detained Tuesday and is now suspected to be directly involved in plans to attack a Swedish church. A preliminary investigation is now underway, and it may be some time before an eventual charge is filed.

Caption Ahmad Kiwan, 24

Visited Sweden for terror planning

The German prosecutor, Liddy Oectering, will not go into which Swedish church was (the target) of the attack. "The investigators have gone through emails and chats between the brothers, (and) could see that it concerned a Swedish church. But the investigation continues. What I can say is that it appears to have something to do with the Koran burnings that took place in Sweden and which have been well-reported in German media," says Chief Prosecutor, Liddy Oechtering to TT.  

The brothers have reportedly lived in Germany for several years and have no reported criminal record. The plans for the terrorist crime may be based on an Islamist motive, but there is no concrete connection to the so-called Islamic State (IS), Welt writes. There is also suspicion against them for terror financing.

Koran burnings in Sweden

The National Center for Terror Threat Assessment reported in its assessment for the entire year on March 8 that Sweden has gone from a legitimate target to a priority target for a terror attack. Säpo (Security Police)  will not comment on whether they have had contacts with German authorities. "We won't go into that. As far as our international cooperation (is concerned), we don't go into what it looks like. That is part of our operational work," says Säpos press spokesperson, Gabriel Wernstedt to TT.

Caption: File photo

Swedish Church in contact with Säpo

The Swedish Church in Sweden has contacted Säpo to learn whether any of their churches were (targeted). "We are seeking information to get as good a picture as possible as to what this is about. But we only know what is in the media," says Erika Brundin, deputy general secretary of the Swedish Church.