A truck attack on a Christmas flea market was planned by a 17-year-old German of Turkish origin who, according to Bild, was arrested last week by Schleswig-Holstein police.

As the newspaper points out, authorities were led to the 17-year-old from intercepted phone conversations and other communications in Islamist networks. German authorities were also informed by their US counterparts. The first clues from the US intelligence agencies were already provided last spring and then the prosecutor’s office in Flensburg, Schleswig-Holstein, took over the case.

“I can assure you that we are investigating a case of planning a serious act of violence which would endanger the state and human lives. An arrest warrant has been issued for a 17-year-old,” District Attorney Bernd Winterfeld told the newspaper.

The youth was arrested last Wednesday (November 6) in Elmshorn, Schleswig-Holstein, and is now in custody, the German newspaper said.