Hezbollah cells in Germany

BERLIN, Aug. 11 (UPI) -- New evidence suggests militant Hezbollah sleeper cells could be planning an attack on Germany, according to the head of Germany's Federal Criminal Police.

Joerg Ziercke, German Federal Criminal Police chief, said in the German daily newspaper Der Tagesspiegel that investigators are monitoring as many as 200 suspected Hezbollah militant sleeper cells in the country, Adnkronos reported.

Ziercke said security authorities report more than 50 militants living in Germany have traveled out of the country, allegedly for training at terrorist training camps in Pakistan and Afghanistan. He said some of the suspects have returned to Germany.

"A single-digit number of militants had returned to Germany from training camps in Pakistan and Afghanistan and were among around 100 suspects considered a threat," Ziercke said in an interview with Der Tagesspiegel as reported by Adnkronos.

The report said Italy, France and the Netherlands also may have Hezbollah sleeper cells planning operations.