German police arrest 2 men who allegedly spied on Syrian opposition groups The USA Times

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Wednesday, May 23, 2012

German police arrest 2 men who allegedly spied on Syrian opposition groups

BERLIN - German police on Tuesday arrested two men on allegations they were spying on Syrian opposition groups in Germany, prosecutors said.

Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said he summoned the Syrian ambassador to tell him that Germany cannot tolerate such activities "against Syrian opposition figures."

Some 70 police officers searched the suspects' apartments and those of six alleged accomplices who are also under investigation, the Federal Prosecutors' Office said

The 34-year-old Syrian, identified only as Mahmoud El A., and a 47-year-old German-Lebanese double national, Akram O., are suspected of "having spied over several years on Syrian opposition figures in Germany," according to prosecutors.

The arrests and searches are the result of an "extensive" investigation by Germany's domestic intelligence service, the said.

No further details were given and the investigation remains ongoing. Westerwelle also declined to elaborate on the investigation.