German authorities say they have arrested four people who are suspected of founding a right-wing extremist group to attack mosques and housing for asylum seekers.
Officials announced the arrests Wednesday, saying they confiscated a stash of explosives during the raids as well.
The four detainees — three men and one woman — are being held on terrorism charges. They are reported to have called themselves the "Old School Society" and are believed to have been planning attacks on well-known Salafist Muslims in Germany and on places where asylum-seekers are housed.
In western Germany, police said unidentified arsonists had set fire to a building housing asylum seekers in the town of Limburgerhof, where the housing was under construction. Police said they have not yet determined the motive for the attack.
Last week police in Frankfurt said they foiled a plan by alleged Islamic extremists to attack a popular bicycle race on the May Day holiday. The police arrested a Turkish-German man and his Turkish wife. Authorities reported finding a stash of weapons and bomb-making ingredients in the couple's home. The race was consequently canceled.
