A Syrian man suspected of plotting an "Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant" (ISIL) bomb attack was arrested Monday (October 10th) by German police with the help of three of his compatriots, AFP reported.

Jaber Albakr, 22, had narrowly slipped through the police net Saturday when commandos raided his apartment and found 1.5 kilogrammes of TATP, the homemade explosive used by the perpetrators of the Paris and Brussels attacks last year.

The explosives were "almost ready, or even ready for usage", said Joerg Michaelis, chief investigator in the eastern state of Saxony, adding that the suspect was apparently preparing a "bomb, possibly in the form of a suicide vest".

After a manhunt over the weekend, police finally got their man with the help of three of Albakr's fellow Syrians, who had detained him in their apartment in the eastern city of Leipzig.

"A witness came to the police station and said he had recognised Albakr... and had a photo of Albakr on his mobile phone," said Michaelis.

"He also said that his flatmates have overpowered Albakr and tied him up, and that we should come to his apartment."

Police declined to give further details on the Syrian informants for fear of reprisals against them.