Faeser: "We will not be intimidated"
Even if we take the threat of terrorism very seriously, we will not allow ourselves to be restricted in our way of life, says Interior Minister Faeser in view of the increased security measures in Cologne. Visitors there are to arrive earlier for church services due to admission controls.
According to Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser, the reaction to a possible attack plan by Islamists on Cologne Cathedral shows how seriously the security authorities take such dangers. "We all love our Christmas traditions and will not be intimidated or restricted in our way of life," the SPD politician told the Funke Mediengruppe.
"But it is equally true that we take the threat of Islamist terrorism very seriously and are extremely vigilant," Faeser added. The security authorities have the Islamist scene in their sights and are acting consistently. "This is also shown by the current measures." The federal and state governments are using all police and intelligence resources to identify dangers at an early stage and follow up on every tip-off, the Minister continued.
The police had increased security measures at Cologne Cathedral on Saturday due to indications of a possible attack plan by an Islamist group. Police officers searched the cathedral on Saturday evening. According to dpa information from security circles, the explosives sniffer dogs found nothing. According to the Cologne police, the information related to New Year's Eve. North Rhine-Westphalia's Interior Minister Herbert Reul made it clear that people should not be deterred from attending church because the protection provided by the authorities was working.
Measures could last for some time
The police also announced that they would be checking all visitors to the cathedral on Christmas Eve. Police officers and around a dozen vehicles were also present in front of the cathedral. According to the church, tourist visits were not possible. The church and police advised people to come to the service a little earlier in view of the checks.
Cathedral provost Guido Assmann said in an interview on cathedral radio that he would not let the joy be taken away from him. "I believe that all those who might want to make a threat or do something against our liberal state or against religious freedom would say 'we have won' when fear prevails." He emphasized: "The fact that we live in a constitutional state that protects religious freedom, that protects people when they want to come to worship, that protects everyone, I think that is a very, very valuable asset. And we are experiencing that here."
At the same time, the Cologne police made it clear that the increased security measures at the cathedral will continue for some time. "We now have to see how quickly we can actually verify this information. It is certain that as long as a dangerous situation cannot be ruled out, we will of course continue these measures," said Baldes. The police still have very busy days ahead of them.
Arrests in Vienna and Saarland
The police also increased security measures in Vienna. In Austria, the Office for the Protection of the Constitution arrested four people on Saturday during investigations into an Islamist network. Interviews with the suspects and corresponding evaluations are currently underway, the Directorate for State Security and Intelligence at the Austrian Interior Ministry announced in response to a dpa inquiry. Further details could not be given at present for reasons of criminal tactics.
According to dpa information, the suspicious group could possibly have a connection to an offshoot of the Islamic State (IS) terrorist network, which calls itself the Islamic State Province of Khorasan (ISPK) and has been fighting an armed conflict with the militant Islamist Taliban in Afghanistan for several years. The spokeswoman for the public prosecutor's office in Vienna declined to comment.
According to media reports, a man was also arrested in Saarland in connection with the indications of attack plans. ARD reported, without citing sources, that the suspect could be connected to the ISPK. The Federal Public Prosecutor General has not yet commented on this. A spokeswoman for the Cologne police was also unable to comment on the arrest. The man in Saarland has long been known to the authorities as an extremist, ARD reported.
Since the terrorist attack by the Islamist Hamas on Israel on October 7, fears have been growing that there could also be attacks in Germany. According to the police in Austria, the terror alert level is still raised. The additional precautionary measures were taken to maintain general security in Austria.
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Faeser underscored the seriousness of the potential threat from Islamist extremists, particularly in relation to the Cologne Cathedral, stating, "The security authorities have the Islamist scene in their sights and are acting consistently."
Reacting to the heightened security around churches, Catholic Church representative Guido Assmann expressed his belief, stating, "I think that all those who might want to make a threat or do something against our liberal state or against religious freedom would say 'we have won' when fear prevails." However, he emphasized the importance of not letting fear dictate their actions.
Considering the increased security measures in Vienna, the spokeswoman for the public prosecutor's office declined to comment on the arrest of a suspected offshoot of the Islamic State terrorist network, which has been active in Afghanistan. This incident underscores the ongoing global threat of Islamist terrorism.
Source: www.ntv.de
