Terror suspect plotted plane attack on Bundestag

An Austrian terror suspect arrested this week was plotting to crash a plane into the German Bundestag, a report said on Saturday as officials said a German with links to the suspect was detained.

The suspect, who has been named only as Thomas al-J. and is a 25-year-old Austrian national who converted to Islam, was arrested Wednesday in his Vienna flat on suspicion of recruiting for terror training camps in Afghanistan and Pakistan and of financing a terrorist organisation -- the German Taliban Mujahideen (DTM).

Austrian newspaper Kronen Zeitung reported on Saturday that the suspect had been plotting to crash a plane into the German parliament in Berlin, the Bundestag, and had been training on a flight simulator.

Austria's interior ministry also said on Saturday that a German terrorism suspect had been arrested in Austria on May 31 and had links with the alleged recruiter.

The 26-year-old German, originally from Berlin, is in the process of being extradited to Germany, where he is suspected of being a member of a terrorist organisation, ministry spokesman Rudolf Gollia said.

Three other suspects who were arrested at Vienna airport Wednesday apparently on their way to a terrorist training camp in Pakistan were released from custody that evening.
Police said there were no grounds to detain them further.

Austria last year passed a law that foresees up to five years in prison for any person attending a terror camp abroad.

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