German prosecutors says sufficient evidence tells Syrian man took woman hostage

German prosecutors said on Wednesday that there was sufficient evidence so far to suggest that the Syrian man who took a woman hostage in Cologne on Monday had a radical Islamist motive.

The chief federal prosecutor said this was partly based on statements from witnesses, who said the man had said he was a member of Islamic State and wanted to travel to the group in Syria.

The man had demanded via telephone to be allowed to travel to IS in Syria, the prosecutor said.