2 men arrested in Berlin suspected of preparing 'serious act of violence'

German Police have arrested two men in Berlin on Thursday afternoon who they believe were preparing "a serious act of violence," police said.

A police spokesman confirmed the arrests on German radio. He did not give a specific reason for the arrests, but said they were considered dangerous and capable of causing harm.

Police said they received information about a possible threat in "preparation of a serious act of violence endangering the state," but would not elaborate.

The spokesperson said police searched a car in Britz, a section in Berlin, that had a "suspicious" package in the back seat, the tweets said.

Explosive sniffer dogs aided in the investigation and several homes in the area were evacuated as a precaution, police confirmed in tweets.

Police determined that "no dangerous items" were found in the car in Britz, but they are keeping the two men in custody for further investigation.

Based on the information given police, an Islamic cultural club on Sophie-Charlotten-Str. in Berlin and a vehicle belonging to a man in the low-income neighborhood of Charlottenburg were also searched, but no suspicious or dangerous material was found, police said.