Police in Germany detained a man and searched a number of properties on Wednesday, across the western state of North Rhine-Wesphalia in connection with plans to carry out an Islamist terror attack.

Police said they swooped on six properties in the cities of Essen, Dortmund, Düsseldorf and Soest with the raids being conducted as part of a "comprehensive investigation into suspected organized commercial fraud." 

Man suspected of attempting to finance terror plot

According to a joint statement from the Düsseldorf Public Prosecutor's Office and Essen police, the investigation had turned up evidence that money gained through commercial fraud was intended to go toward financing an Islamist terrorist attack.

Wednesday's raids aimed to hinder any further planning of the suspected attack and its execution, as well as clarifying the circumstances surrounding it, the statement said.

The detainee, a 27-year-old man with Bosnian-Herzegovinian citizenship, was due to come before an investigating judge on Wednesday, officials said.

The DPA news agency cited a senior prosecutor as saying it was believed the suspect resold expensive electronic devices that he had ordered but not paid for to generate funds. 

North Rhine-Westphalia is Germany's most-populous state, with a population of some 18 million people.

State minister praises German police

North Rhine-Westphalia's Interior Minister, Herbert Reul, said the raids prevented potential terrorist activity.

"There are people out there who want to disregard and destroy our values and our way of life," Reul said.

"Anyone who pursues terror plans here must expect the SEK [special forces] to be at their door in the morning," he said.

Edited by: Elizabeth Schumacher