Two men of Syrian origin were arrested in Switzerland on charges of manufacturing, concealing, and transporting explosives and toxic gases. They are also under suspicion of violating the Swiss law prohibiting terror groups like Al Qaeda and the Islamic State (ISIS). Swiss media reported that two people had been arrested on Friday on the road outside Cologny in the Geneva region and that traces of explosives were found in their car.

The Geneva region raised its alert level to three on a five-point scale on Thursday, and armed police were deployed at sensitive locations across the city, which is home to the UN’s European headquarters. Pictures of four individuals suspected of links to ISIS were distributed by media across the country. The manhunt allegedly came after a tipoff from American intelligence.

Swiss justice minister, Simonetta Sommaruga, told journalists on Friday that authorities had no reason to believe that terrorists were planning a specific attack in Switzerland.

Geneva’s head of the security and economic affairs department, Pierre Maudet, told Le Temps news service that security in the city would remain high. “We can’t say that an attack has been foiled today,” Maudet said. “The more precise threat still exists”.