German Police Arrest Teenager Planning to Burn Church on ISIS Orders

German police have arrested a 16-year-old student who was planning to burn down a church on the orders of the Islamic State (ISIS) group, according to a report by the Bild newspaper on Tuesday, citing sources familiar with the matter. The teenager was detained in the city of Hamm, North Rhine-Westphalia, and is reported to have planned to set fire to an independent Christian community church. A spokesperson for the Düsseldorf Public Prosecutor’s Office, Alexandra Wiese, said the suspect had been in communication with an individual close to ISIS. According to investigators, the suspect attempted to travel to territory controlled by ISIS to join the group and actively promoted ISIS on social media. The teenager had already inspected the church that was the intended target of the attack. He was reportedly arrested on 2 April and, following a mental health diagnosis, was transferred from a pre-trial detention facility to a specialised medical facility for minors. Investigators are currently still determining whether the 16-year-old suspect, who has mental limitations, can be prosecuted, Bild reported.