Germany’s SEK special police have detained an allegedly high-ranking ISIL member.

The 24-year old Syrian refugee was arrested on Friday following a tip-off from a prisoner in Gelsenkirchen, in North Rhine-Westphalia.

It led to the SEK raid on an address in neighbouring Rhineland Palatinate, in Mutterstadt.

One ministry was reported to have strong indications a major attack was in preparation to coincide with the start of the Bundesliga season later this month, while the other could only confirm it had identified a major threat.

The operation involved three state police forces and security for the upcoming matches will likely be raised. Last November the stadium in Hannover had to be cleared before a Germany-Netherlands match following a bomb threat.