Berlin police release two men held for alleged terrorist plot, our news desk reports:
Police in Berlin say they have released two men who were detained on November 26 as part of an investigation into Islamic extremists in Germany.
Authorities said on November 27 that no evidence had been found to hold the 28-year-old Syrian and 46-year-old Tunisian suspects.
Following their detention on November 26, police raided a mosque in Berlin's western neighborhood of Charlottenburg.
An Islamic cultural center also was raided.
Local media reported that the two were suspected of planning to transport explosives from Munich to use in a possible attack in Dortmund.
But authorities said on November 27 that no evidence of explosives had been found in their car, at the mosque, or at the Islamic center.
Police said there was no indication that "an act of violence was planned for Berlin."
Earlier, dpa reported that the two men were thought to have been influenced Islamic State militants. (Reuters, AP, AFP, dpa)
Germany arrests suspected arms dealer, won't confirm Paris link, our news desk reports:
Prosecutors in Stuttgart, Germany confirmed that they have arrested a 34-year-old man suspected of arms dealing, but have declined to comment on a report that he supplied four guns to Islamic militants who carried out the Paris terrorist attacks.
A spokesman for Baden-Wuerttemberg's prosecutor said on November 27 that the suspect was arrested on November 24.
Earlier on November 27, Germany's Bild newspaper reported that the man was suspected of selling four weapons to the militants who killed 130 people in Paris on November 13.
Bild reported that four assault rifles -- two AK-47s made in China and two Zastava M70s made in Serbia -- had been sold online by the suspect on November 7 to a buyer of "Arab descent." (Reuters, AP, Bild)
Terror suspects arrested in Berlin, our news desk reports:
Police in Berlin have arrested two people suspected of preparing to carry out "a serious act of violence representing a danger for the state."
The two individuals had been allegedly influenced by the extremist group Islamic State (IS), German news agency dpa reported.
One of them was a Syrian and the other Tunisian, German media said.
The arrests were made following two raids, including one on an Islamic cultural center.
Police officials said there was no indication that "an act of violence was planned for Berlin."
Reports suggested that the police were acting on a tip about a possible attack in the northwestern city of Dortmund.
Chancellor Angela Merkel said on November 25 that the security-threat level in Germany remained high following the November 13 attacks in Paris by IS militants that killed 130 people. (dpa, Reuters, AFP)
We are now closing the live blog for today. Until we resume again, you can catch up with some of our other Islamic State coverage here.
Kremlin to work with U.S.-led coalition, our news desk reports:
Russian President Vladimir Putin says Russia is still committed to cooperating with the U.S.-led coalition fighting the Islamic State (IS) militant group in Syria.
Speaking at a news conference in the Kremlin after talks with French President Francois Hollande, Putin said the two countries had agreed to enhance their bilateral cooperation over Syria.
At the same time, Putin said the shooting down by Turkey of a Russian jet was an act of betrayal by a country Russia considered to be its friend.
Hollande said the two countries had agreed to target only IS militants and other hard-line groups.
The West has accused Moscow of targeting mainly Western-backed rebel groups fighting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Russia's ally.
Hollande said France will also increase its support to rebel groups battling IS militants on the ground in Syria. (AP, Reuters)
French President Francois Hollande told Russia's Vladimir Putin on Thursday world powers must create a "grand coalition" to combat Islamic State militants who control swathes of territory in Syria and Iraq.
Hollande is on a diplomatic offensive to build a common front against the militant Islamist group that has claimed responsibility for the attacks in Paris on Nov. 13 that killed 130 people.
Islamic State has also said it downed a Russian plane on Oct. 31 over the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt, killing all 224 people on board.
"Our enemy is Daesh, Islamic State, it has territory, an army and resources, so we must create this large coalition to hit these terrorists," Hollande said in televised remarks at the start of bilateral talks with the Russian leader in the Kremlin.
"I'm in Moscow with you to see how we can act together and coordinate so that we can strike this terrorist group, but also reach a solution for peace," Hollande said.
Putin said Moscow was ready to unite with Paris against a "mutual enemy" following the downing of the Russian airliner and the attacks in Paris.
Turkey summons Russian envoy over protests, our news desk reports:
Turkey's Foreign Ministry says it has summoned the Russian ambassador in Ankara to complain about protests against Turkish missions and businesses in Russia following Turkey's downing of a Russian jet.
The ministry said in a statement on November 26 that it wanted to express Turkey's discontent over the "unacceptable" incident as well as over a series of incidents against Turkish companies in Russia.<
The statement said Turkish offices had come under what it called physical attacks disguised as protests, and warned Russian authorities to urgently increase protection for the embassy and other Turkish interests.
Protesters in Moscow hurled eggs and stones at the Turkish Embassy on November 25, breaking windows in the compound.
Police cleared the area and made some arrests shortly after the protest began. (AFP, AP)