“German authorities said on Tuesday they had uncovered plans by suspected Islamic extremists to launch a suicide car-bomb attack on a military hospital in the northern city of Hamburg.” This from News24.com, with thanks to Nicolei.
“Dirk Nockemann, the Hamburg senator responsible for internal affairs, said the militant Islamic group, Ansar al-Islam, which is alleged to have links to al-Qaeda, was likely to be behind the plans. Citing United States intelligence sources, he said members of the group had planned a suicide-bomb attack, while an alternative target was the major US Rhein-Main air base in central Germany.
“Security at the hospital was immediately stepped up on Tuesday and surrounding streets sealed off. . . .
“The military hospital has 305 beds and handles some civilian services as well as military patients. US authorities believe Ansar al-Islam has links to Al-Qaeda, the extremist network responsible for the September 11 2001 attacks in the United States. The group’s stronghold in northern Iraq was devastated by US air strikes in early April during the US invasion of Iraq. However, US commanders have said Ansar al-Islam has made a strong comeback, infiltrating Iraq from Iran and setting up operations in the Baghdad area.
“German intelligence services believe about 100 Ansar al-Islam militants are in Germany, mainly in the south of the country.”