Europe

Europe

Germany probes if Iran pondering attacks

01 December 2011 22:49 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. German prosecutors are investigating information authorities received that Iran has been planning attacks on American targets inside the country, but has no indication of anything in the works, a spokeswoman said Thursday, APA reports quoting Xinhua.

Germany is home to many U.S. military installations, including the Ramstein and Spangdahlem air bases, and the investigation was opened after authorities received information that Iran might be planning retaliatory attacks to be launched in the event of an American strike on Iran.

A search turned up no evidence, however, and there have been no arrests, the prosecutors’ office spokeswoman said on customary condition of anonymity. She would not say where the search took place, or how authorities received the information that led to the investigation.

"Despite the search, there are no indications that there was a planned crime nor an imminent danger," she said.

The Iranian Embassy could not be reached by phone and did not return an email request for comment.

Both the U.S. government and the U.S. military said they were aware of the reports, but could not comment on cooperation with German authorities or whether security had been heightened at bases.

In Washington, State Department spokesman Mark Toner said the U.S. is limited in what it can say because Germany’s investigation is ongoing. He said the Obama administration takes the allegations seriously, and that it is working with the German government.

"Tehran has shown time and time again that it doesn’t respect its international obligations and responsibilities," Toner told reporters.

U.S. Army Europe spokesman Joe Garvey said: "We constantly monitor the security situation and take every credible threat very seriously."