Man arrested in Germany on suspicion of illicit arms deal

7 November 2006

KARLSRUHE, Germany, Nov 7, 2006 (AFP) -

The German federal prosecutor's office said Tuesday that a man had been arrested in the country suspected of arranging illegal arms deals on behalf of a foreign intelligence agency.

The man, who was detained near the western city of Duesseldorf, is believed to have acquired weapons equipment in other parts of Europe via a shell company that were to be used outside Europe, the office said in a statement.

It did not say which countries were involved or whether the suspect was a German citizen.

Investigators said that items bought included testing equipment and spare parts, which were picked up by a Bavarian trucking company at sites belonging to their foreign manufacturers.

The companies were told that the goods were bound for other European countries.

However the equipment was to be brought overseas without the necessary official approvals, the statement said.

The prosecutor's office, based in the southwestern city of Karlsruhe, said it was investigating on suspicion of foreign espionage and violation of export laws.

Authorities searched the offices of the Bavarian trucking company and two homes in the state as well as several sites in the Duesseldorf region.

It said that there had also been raids abroad and property seized, without providing further details.