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German police hunting a suspected terrorist accused of plotting to blow up an airport have warned "we don't know where he is and what he is carrying"

Investigators make the chilling declaration as they warned members of the public to "be careful" following the police raid on a home in the east of the country.

Jaber Albakr, a 22-year-old Syrian national, was last seen in the city of Chemnitz wearing a black hooded top with a bright pattern on the front.

Anti-terror cops raided a flat linked to him in a housing estate in the city this morning after receiving information that he was planning a bomb attack on an airport.

(Image: Polizei Sachsen) (Image: Polizei Sachsen)

The suspect was not in the home but four explosives were and police are now appealing for people to get in contact if they see Albakr.

"The search for the suspect is ongoing," Saxony state police tweeted.

"At the moment, however, we do not know where he is and what he is carrying with him. Be careful."

Police detained three people in Chemnitz who they said were known to Albakr, but he remained at large.

(Image: AP) (Image: AP)

"Questioning (of the detainees) is continuing. The results are still to come," said Tom Bernhardt, spokesman for the Saxony state criminal investigation office.

Bernhardt said police did not immediately find the several hundred grammes of explosives when searching the apartment as they were well hidden.

Hundreds of police including specialist commandos combed a residential area in Chemnitz looking for Albakr.

(Image: Getty Images) (Image: REUTERS)

The police deployment followed a tip-off from the domestic intelligence service, though the "where, when, how and why" of the planned attack remained unclear, said Bernhardt.

Police asked local residents to remain indoors and began evacuating more people after discovering the explosives.

Bernhardt said it was unclear how many suspects might be involved.

Photographs of the 22-year-old suspect were also released with officers pleading for anyone with information on his whereabouts to come forward.

(Image: Getty Images) (Image: EPA/BERND MAERZ)

It is not known if he is armed or has explosives on him.

Terrified residents posted images of officers clad in black helmets, balaclavas and body armour with their assault weapons raised and poised.

Dozens of officers swooped on a housing estate in the east German region this morning and immediately cordoned off an area while taking people from their homes and taking them to safety.

(Image: AP)

(Image: Twitter)

A police spokeswoman has told German media the operation is in response to evidence of a 'serious threat'

He added: "Major road closers and evacuations are necessary.

"We have a static threat situation in the Fritz Heckert district and have deployed a large taskforce on the ground."

Some residents told how they were woken in the morning by police brandishing machine guns.

The officers told them to leave their homes quickly and quietly before centring on one particular home.

Officers circled a particular flat and then used explosives to blast their way in but found the property empty - sparking fears a potential terrorist was on the run.

(Image: AP)

(Image: Twitter)

A police spokesman did confirm 'explosives residue' was found inside the flat and announced an 'international manhunt' was now underway for the suspect.

Saxony Police tweeted: "We are currently carry a large-scale operation on suspicion of preparing a bomb attack.

"The explosion heard was an access measure of the police. A relevant person could not be found."

Terrified residents have been posting images of officers clad in black with their weapons poised in the area around the home.

Police have taken to Twitter warning people to stay clear of the 'risk situation'.

Pictures from the scene show huge numbers of officers filing down roads and alleys - apparently surrounding the area.

The force tweeted: "At the moment we have a static threat situation in the Fritz-Heckert area in Chemnitz, C0810 and with strong forces on the ground."

(Image: AP) (Image: AP)

The Fritz Heckert district, known locally as Fritz-Heckert-Gebiet, was built as one of the largest housing developments in Communist East Germany, consisting of large tower blocks once housing 90,000 people.

Germany is already on high alert after a number of attacks in recent months.

In the space of just a week in July this year there was a horrifying axe attack on train passengers and then a bomb attack on a cafe by ISIS sympathisers.

Teenage refugee Muhammad Riyad was shot and killed as he tried to flee the bloody carriage where he hacked at terrified passengers.

Incredibly he failed to kill anyone but five were left with serious injuries.

Just five days later 15 people were injured when Mohammad Daleel detonated a suicide bomb outside a wine bar in Ansbach.