Five men have been arrested on suspicion of planning an Islamist-motivated vehicle attack at a Christmas market in southern Germany. The suspects had intended to drive a car into a crowd, aiming to kill or injure as many people as possible, according to authorities.

Three Moroccans, an Egyptian and a Syrian were detained Friday on suspicion of planning to drive a vehicle into a Christmas market in the Dingolfing-Landau district of Bavaria, the BBC reported. Investigators said the exact market has not been identified, but it is believed to be in the area northeast of Munich.

Prosecutors said formal arrest warrants were issued for four men, with the fifth held in preventative custody, according to DW. The arrests followed surveillance that allegedly uncovered discussions among the men about using a vehicle to carry out the attack.

The Egyptian, 56, is an imam who allegedly called for the attack at a mosque in the Dingolfing-Landau district, according to Le Monde. Authorities said the Moroccans, aged 22, 28 and 30, had agreed to execute the plan, while the 37-year-old Syrian was accused of encouraging them.

All five suspects appeared before a magistrate on Saturday and remain in custody.

Investigators have not disclosed where the arrests took place or how advanced the plot had become.

Joachim Herrmann, Bavaria’s state interior minister, said the rapid arrests were made possible through “excellent cooperation between our security services,” adding that the suspects were apprehended before they could act.

The alleged plot follows heightened security concerns surrounding Germany’s Christmas markets, which have been frequent targets of vehicle attacks in recent years.

On Dec. 20 last year, six people were killed and more than 300 were injured after an SUV plowed through a Christmas market in Magdeburg. The accused, a 51-year-old Saudi doctor named Taleb Jawad al-Abdulmohsen, admitted to driving the vehicle into the crowd. He is currently on trial and has expressed extremist views and conspiracy beliefs.

In 2016, a Tunisian man who had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State killed 12 people and injured 56 more by driving a truck into a Christmas market in Berlin. Authorities later acknowledged intelligence failures in the lead-up to that attack.

German security agencies have since tightened surveillance and enforcement during the winter season, as cities across the country host Christmas markets that draw heavy foot traffic. The popular events typically feature stalls selling gifts, food and seasonal drinks, making them vulnerable to mass-casualty attacks.

In response to rising threats, several cities have considered canceling or scaling back their holiday markets due to the cost and complexity of maintaining adequate security.

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