Man threatens attack on German high-speed train, injures several

A man threatened to attack a German high-speed train in western Germany and lightly injured several people before being arrested in the town of Siegburg near Bonn, police said Thursday evening.

So-called airsoft firecrackers exploded on an Intercity Express (ICE) train from Cologne to Frankfurt, a police spokeswoman told dpa.

According to the spokesperson, the suspect had locked himself in a train toilet. German tabloid Bild reported that he threw the firecrackers in the hallway.

Police said several people suffered minor and superficial skin injuries. The train was evacuated. Initially, no information was available on the number of passengers on board.

The man was arrested at Siegburg train station, the spokeswoman said, adding that he had a knife in his backpack.

The Koelner Stadt-Anzeiger newspaper reported that the person was masked. The context of the incident remains unclear.

German train operator Deutsche Bahn confirmed a police operation but gave no further details.