Five Islamic State suspects have been arrested in Germany, according to a team of investigative reporters at the Sueddeutsche Zeitung newspaper and broadcasters NDR and WDR.
The arrests took place in the German states of Lower Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia, the media outlets reported.
The suspects include Ahmad Abdelazziz A, a high profile member of Germany's Islamist community.
The 32-year-old Iraqi national has been under investigation since last year for recruiting would-be jihadists in Germany and organising their travel to Iraq and Syria.
The federal prosecutor's office said the suspects were focused on recruiting young Muslims in Germany, and raising funds to send them to Syria to join IS.
News that makes sense
Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.
They're also accused of providing logistical support for the trips.
Justice Minister Heiko Maas called the arrests an "important blow to the extremist scene in Germany."
The arrests were made possible through the testimony of Anil O, a 22-year-old who fled to Turkey and later to Germany after fighting alongside IS militants in Syria.
While still in Turkey, Anil O gave an interview to the group of investigative reporters at broadcasters WDR and NDR and the Sueddeutsche newspaper in which he referred to Abu Walaa as "Islamic State's number one in Germany."
In late July, German authorities conducted a series of raids related to the suspects arrested on Tuesday. One of them targeted a mosque in the northern German town of Hildesheim which had been hosting sermons about waging jihad in the Middle East.
