Police hunting a youth who planted bombs on German trains raided a Cologne apartment during the night, as more evidence surfaced Tuesday about the Lebanese Shiites believed to be behind Germany's closest shave yet with international terrorism. Two youths were filmed by security cameras in Cologne as they carried bombs concealed in suitcases aboard trains three weeks ago. Because of construction flaws, the bombs failed to explode and turned up in lost-property offices. No one claimed responsibility. | [RING!] "Löst und gefunden!" "Did anybody turn in a bomb?" "Ein Bömb? Ich don't t'ink zo... Aber wart! Ja, ve haff ein Bömb! Und can you describe it?" "Ummm... Four sticks of dynamite, hold together with an old wire, with an alarm clock on the front..." "Zörry. Dieses ist nicht seine Bömb! Dieses one is only three schticks of dynamite!" "Hokay. Maybe I left it at Koblenz. Do you have their number?" |
| [RING!] "Missing persons!" "Haf you seen a yout, a Lebanese? He is gone three weeks now!" "A Lebanese yout? Whyfore is such a yout here in Deutschland?" "It is a long story. Haf you seen him?" "No, but let me check with meinen colleagues in Beyroot." |
The first arrest in the case has galvanized Germans. Interior Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said the July 31 attack was the closest shave Germany has had with international terrorism. Police have not said which group they suspect was behind the attack. But news reports Tuesday said e-H was believed to be affiliated through his Shiite clan with Hizb ut-Tahrir, a Lebanese group that is outlawed in Germany. Its name means "party of liberation." Lebanon's military intelligence service helped Germany to catch him, a senior prosecutor said Monday. German public television said the youth had apparently fled to Lebanon after the attack, but returned to Germany believing he would not be caught. He had phoned his family in Lebanon after seeing his own picture on TV. The call was tapped.
| [RING] "Hi Mom! Didja see me on the teevee? Why does your phone sound so echoey? I gotta go Mom, there's someone at the do..." |
| "Holmes! How *do* you do it?" |
| [RING] "Mosque of the Most Deep Pockets, how can you serve Allan today?" "Guten Morgen, Herr Mahmoud. Ve vould like to ask you a few questions about a certain Yout." "Nein. Nein. Now scräm!" |