According to investigators, a 28-year old German military officer, lieutenant-colonel, registered as a Syrian refugee. The authorities allege that he was planning to carry out some kind of attack to fuel anti-asylum seeker sentiment in the country. The claim has been confirmed by State attorney Nadja Niesen as she was speaking to the media in Frankfurt, Germany.

According to the prosecutors, the man was arrested on the suspicion that he was going to carry out a violent attack. His name has not yet been revealed. The man is said to have a history of anti-immigrant sentiment. According to the investigators, the man basically lived a double life. He registered under a false name in 2015 and claimed asylum in Bavaria. He was eventually assigned to a shelter and began receiving benefits.

According to reports, he had been detained earlier in the year by Austrian authorities after he was found attempting to retrieve a loaded gun he had hidden in a restroom at Vienna airport in January.

Prosecutors say he was linked to another suspect who had been arrested in a sweep of Austria, France, and Germany. The 24-year old student’s home contained weapons and explosives. Niesen said that the two had exchanged phone messages which she described as “xenophobic”. It was the arrest of the 24-year old that led to the arrest of the military officer.