German federal prosecutors have charged a Russian teenager with plotting an attack on the Israeli embassy in Berlin and attempting to join the Islamic State, a case highlighting persistent fears of jihadist radicalization among young people in Europe.

The suspect, identified under German privacy laws only as Akhmad E., was indicted for preparing and inciting a serious act of violence endangering the state, as well as attempting to join a terrorist organization abroad while still a minor. He allegedly sought out bomb-making instructions online, though investigators say he failed to obtain the materials needed to construct explosives.

“From the beginning of February, he planned to carry out an attack in Germany, for example on the Israeli embassy in Berlin,” prosecutors said in a statement.

Authorities believe the teenager had been preparing to travel to Pakistan for military training with ISIS and had raised money for the trip by selling smartphones procured through fraudulent contracts. Investigators also accuse him of helping the group by translating propaganda into Russian and Chechen.

Police arrested the 18-year-old on Feb. 20 in the state of Brandenburg, which surrounds Berlin, after a tip-off. Riot police and special units were deployed in the raid. At the time of his arrest, he reportedly had no criminal record.

German media reported in February that two other suspects connected to the plot may have fled the country.

The case adds to a series of recent incidents fueling concern among German and European security officials about the threat of Islamist radicalization, particularly among teenagers and young adults. Authorities remain especially sensitive to potential plots against Israeli and Jewish institutions, amid heightened tensions in Europe amid the war in Gaza and Iran’s attacks on Israel earlier this year.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)