BERLIN, Dec. 16 (Xinhua) -- Authorities of Germany's eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt said on Tuesday that they had detained a 21-year-old man suspected of planning an attack on large crowds, according to public broadcaster ARD.

The suspect, whose specific nationality was not disclosed but who was described as being from "Central Asia," was taken into police custody last Friday. He has since been placed in detention pending deportation, according to the interior ministry of the state of Saxony-Anhalt.

Tamara Zieschang, the state's interior minister, said the suspect entered Germany in 2024 and had recently been training as a nursing specialist.

Authorities began monitoring him after detecting signs of increasing radicalization, including a strong interest in weapons.

In a separate incident, five other people were detained earlier this month in the southern state of Bavaria on suspicion of planning a vehicle attack on a Christmas market. ■