Crime - Increased vigilance after fear of attacks in Cologne and Vienna
Following the terror alert for Cologne Cathedral and a church in Vienna, there is increased caution with regard to New Year's Eve. "There is currently an increased threat situation in the area of Islamist terrorism. The federal and state security authorities are therefore acting with the utmost vigilance," said a spokesperson for the Federal Ministry of the Interior in Berlin.
In Cologne, the cathedral will remain closed to tourists until further notice. "All liturgical services will take place, but tourist visits are unfortunately not possible," Oliver Gassen, head of security at the cathedral, told the German Press Agency on Tuesday. "The cathedral will be closed between services." Normally, the cathedral is visited by more than 100,000 people from Christmas to New Year.
According to dpa, the security authorities had received information about a possible plan by an Islamist group to attack Cologne Cathedral and a church in Vienna. According to the Cologne police, the information related to New Year's Eve, but security measures had already been increased for the Christmas celebrations.
Police also increased security measures in Vienna
Police officers have been checking visitors to the cathedral since Christmas Eve. On Saturday evening, the police had already searched the cathedral with sniffer dogs but, according to their own statements, found nothing suspicious. The Cardinal of Cologne, Rainer Maria Woelki, thanked the worshippers for "not allowing themselves to be frightened and scared despite the situation, but for coming here courageously".
The police also increased security measures in Vienna. In Austria, the Office for the Protection of the Constitution arrested four people on Saturday. Among other things, data carriers, such as cell phones, that were seized during the searches have since been evaluated, public prosecutor Nina Bussek told dpa on Tuesday. Two men and one woman were ordered to be remanded in custody, a court spokeswoman told the APA news agency. They are being investigated for belonging to a terrorist organization in connection with terrorist crimes.
A fourth person is not being investigated on suspicion of terrorism, Bussek added. This person happened to be present when the three suspects were arrested. He was wanted for violating immigration laws and was therefore arrested.
Bild" also reported an arrest in Germany. However, there was initially no confirmation of this.
Link to IS offshoot?
According to dpa information, the suspected 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 fighting an armed conflict with the militant Islamist Taliban in Afghanistan for several years. A spokeswoman for the public prosecutor's office in Vienna declined to comment.
In April, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution stressed that although the Islamic State (IS) terrorist militia in Syria and Iraq had been largely defeated, the organization as a whole was far from being destroyed. Head of the authorities Thomas Haldenwang said at the time: "Among the various offshoots of IS, the "Islamic State Province of Khorasan", or ISPK for short, stands out in particular."
Since the terrorist attack on Israel by Islamist Hamas 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 elevated. The additional precautionary measures were taken to maintain general security in Austria.
Church services Cologne Cathedral Cologne police statement
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- Amidst the increased threat of Islamist terrorism, Germany and Austria are maintaining a high level of vigilance approaching the New Year's holidays.
- The Federal Ministry of the Interior in Berlin acknowledged the heightened terror alert for Cologne Cathedral and a church in Vienna during the holiday season.
- The Cologne Cathedral has been closed to tourists due to the potential threat, with only religious services continuing as planned.
- Oliver Gassen, head of security at the cathedral in Cologne, confirmed this temporary closure to the German Press Agency.
- The Austrian police, in response to a potential terror plan, increased security measures and arrested four individuals on suspicion of belonging to a terrorist organization.
- Two men and one woman were detained in Austria as part of an ongoing investigation into terrorist activities, while a fourth person was apprehended for immigration law violations.
- German news outlet "Bild" reported an arrest in Germany related to the case, but neither the authorities nor the public prosecutor's office confirmed the details.
- The suspected group potentially has connections to the Islamic State Province of Khorasan (ISPK), an offshoot in the ongoing conflict against the Taliban in Afghanistan.
- As a precaution, police officers have been conducting inspections with sniffer dogs at the Cologne Cathedral since Christmas Eve while ensuring that religious services continue smoothly.
- The Cardinal of Cologne, Rainer Maria Woelki, has expressed gratitude to worshippers for their courage in attending services despite the heightened terror alert in Germany and Austria.
Source: www.stern.de
