German authorities said five men were arrested on suspicion of planning a vehicle‑ramming attack on a Christmas market in Bavaria.
The suspects were detained Friday and appeared before a judge Saturday. Investigators said they suspect an Islamist motive.
One of the men is a 56‑year‑old Egyptian imam at a mosque near Dingolfing‑Landau, close to Munich, according to Bild.
He is accused of urging an attack “using a vehicle to kill or injure as many people as possible.”
Three Moroccan men, aged 22, 28 and 30, allegedly agreed to carry out the attack. A 37‑year‑old Syrian man is accused of encouraging them.
The arrests come nine years after a truck was driven into the Christmas market at Berlin’s Breitscheidplatz, killing 12 and injuring 56.