Cologne and Vienna increase security measures

Not much is publicly known yet, but the security authorities in Germany and Austria are sounding the alarm. Due to possible plans for attacks by Islamists, special measures are in place around Christian events on the occasion of Christmas. New Year's Eve is also in focus.

Shortly before the Christmas services, the police increased security measures at Cologne Cathedral due to indications of a possible attack plan by an Islamist group. Police officers searched the cathedral with sniffer dogs on Saturday evening and announced that they would be checking all visitors on Christmas Eve. The police in Vienna also increased their protective measures.

According to dpa information, security authorities had indications that a church in Vienna was also a possible target of the group. The police in Cologne want to make a general statement on the investigation this morning. At the same time, it was said that the authorities would not comment on details due to the ongoing investigations.

The group could possibly be linked to an offshoot of the Islamic State (IS) terrorist network, which calls itself the Islamic State Province of Khorasan (ISPK) and has been engaged in an armed conflict with the militant Islamist Taliban in Afghanistan for several years. According to the "Bild" newspaper, the first arrests were made on Saturday by special units in Vienna and also one in Germany.

The Directorate of State Security and Intelligence at the Austrian Interior Ministry would not comment on possible arrests. "We ask for your understanding that we are not commenting on current investigations", a spokesperson in Vienna said late on Saturday evening in response to an inquiry.

Reference to New Year's Eve

The Cologne police had justified the increase in their protective measures with an indication of danger, without giving details. State security, which is active in politically motivated crimes, had begun investigations. Visitors to religious services at Cologne Cathedral and tourists will have to be prepared for increased security standards over the next few days.

"Even if the reference is to New Year's Eve, we will be doing everything we can tonight to ensure the safety of cathedral visitors on Christmas Eve. In coordination with the security officer of the cathedral chapter, the cathedral will be searched with sniffer dogs after the evening mass and then locked," said the head of the Cologne criminal investigation department, Michael Esser, according to a statement. In the evening, police vehicles drove up in front of Cologne Cathedral, as dpa reporters observed. Police sniffer dogs were also deployed.

A statement from the Vienna police previously said that the security authorities in Austria had increased their protective measures in view of calls for terrorist attacks against Christian events throughout Europe, especially on Christmas Eve. Also due to a current threat assessment by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution, there is generally an increased risk situation during the Christmas holidays, the police announced. As a precautionary measure, there will be increased surveillance of high-risk locations in Vienna and the federal states, including churches and Christmas markets.

Civilian and uniformed forces with special equipment and rifles will be deployed. "Police attention will be focused primarily on churches and religious events, especially church services, and Christmas markets," the police added. The terror alert level in Austria remains elevated, the police added. The additional precautionary measures serve to maintain general security in Austria, it said. Since the terrorist attack by Islamist Hamas on Israel on October 7, fears have been growing that there could also be attacks in Germany.