German police said on Thursday they had thwarted a planned Islamist attack, detaining a couple with suspected Salafist militant links, and cancelled a Frankfurt May Day cycle race after they had been seen along the route. Public prosecutor Albrecht Schreiber said a search of their home had turned up an automatic assault weapon, 100 rounds of live ammunition, chemicals commonly used in preparing home-made bombs and a canister full of petrol.
"Investigations by the police indicate that we have been able to prevent a terrorist attack," Peter Beuth, the interior minister of Hesse, told reporters. "This incident shows that we must all remain very alert." The 35-year-old man had dual Turkish-German citizenship and a criminal record, said Hesse police chief Stefan Mueller. His wife was Turkish and two young children found in their home by police were being cared for by social services. Police decided to detain the man after he was seen buying large amounts of chemicals which can be used to make explosives - using a false name. He was also seen along the route of Frankfurt's May 1 cycle race, which attracts thousands of participants and spectators every year. Police later announced they had cancelled the May Day cycle race as a precaution.
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