German authorities detain teenagers suspected of planning attack on Christmas market

German authorities have arrested two boys, aged 15 and 16, on suspicion of planning a militant Islamist attack on a Christmas market or a synagogue. The younger boy, a German-Afghan, was detained after his home was searched. The seriousness of the alleged plot was not immediately clear, but police intervened because the boy had identified a time and place. The 16-year-old, described as a Russian national, was arrested in the town of Wittstock/Dosse. The specific location of the alleged plot is unclear, as initial reports mentioned Cologne but later sources suggested it was Leverkusen, a nearby city. The boys are said to have discussed using homemade incendiary devices or a van to carry out their plans. These arrests come as Germany's domestic intelligence chief warned that the risk of Islamist militant attacks was high due to the Israel-Hamas war, with jihadist groups exploiting the situation to convey a victim narrative to Muslims in the West.