Syrians arrested in German probe of money transferred abroad

BERLIN – German authorities have arrested two Syrian men on suspicion of transferring large amounts of money abroad that might have been used to fund extremist activity.

German news agency dpa reported Wednesday that the men, ages 34 and 37, are suspected of being part of a criminal network that earned commissions for sending six-figure sums abroad.

Dpa says 11 people are under investigation. Police and prosecutors searched 16 locations in the northern states of Schleswig-Holstein, Mecklenburg Western-Pomerania and Hamburg on Wednesday.

The news agency quoted Flensburg chief prosecutor Ulrike Stahlmann-Liebelt as saying authorities are also investigating whether there are indications of “terror financing.”