Germany: 14-Year-Old Arrested for Planning Christmas Terror Attack in Cologne

In a significant counter-terrorism operation today (06.06.2025), authorities in Cologne arrested a 14-year-old suspect believed to be linked to the terrorist organization ‘Islamic State.’ Emirhan A., a German national and student, is reported to have been planning a terror attack in a Christmas market at the end of the year. The Cologne prosecutor’s office is currently investigating the teenager for disseminating propaganda from unconstitutional organizations and involvement with the ‘Islamic State.’ According to prosecutors, Emirhan A. had not previously drawn attention from German authorities but recently uploaded TikTok videos referencing the ‘Islamic State’ and pledging allegiance with the comment ‘Before it’s too late.’ Authorities also discovered other online profiles with extremist content. In one profile, he changed his username to ‘Suicide Bomber/Martyr’ and wrote ‘I am heading towards death’ in the bio. The stage of preparation for any potential attack remains unclear. North Rhine-Westphalia Interior Minister Herbert Reul stated, ‘TikTok has long ceased to be just a platform for dances; it has become a breeding ground for extremism. Radicalization happens in real-time on smartphones. We must monitor these channels more closely, and platform providers must take greater responsibility.’ Reul expressed satisfaction that security forces intervened in time, adding, ‘A young person not only glorified and distributed ‘Islamic State’ propaganda on social media but also shared attack fantasies. It’s alarming that 14-year-olds are already this radicalized.’