Security circles - No arrests in NRW over plan to attack Cologne Cathedral
No arrests have yet been made in North Rhine-Westphalia in connection with a possible attack on Cologne Cathedral. This was reported to Deutsche Presse-Agentur by security sources on Sunday morning.
According to the police, they have 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 newspaper "Bild" had previously reported that the first arrests had already been made on Saturday by special units in Vienna and also one in Germany.
According to dpa information, security authorities had received indications of a possible attack plan by an Islamist group on Cologne Cathedral. A church in Vienna was also a possible target, it was reported on Saturday.
According to dpa information, 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 fighting an armed conflict with the militant Islamist Taliban in Afghanistan for several years.
Cologne police increase protective measures
According to "Bild", the first arrests by special units in Vienna and one in Germany were made on Saturday. The Directorate of State Security and Intelligence at the Austrian Interior Ministry did not want to 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.
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, particularly 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.
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- The German Press Agency reported on Sunday that there have been no arrests in North Rhine-Westphalia regarding a potential attack on Cologne Cathedral, which was identified as a target in an Islamist group's attack plan.
- The police in Cologne have implemented enhanced security measures due to the attack plan, including searching the cathedral with sniffer dogs and checking all visitors on saint's eve.
- According to dpa's report, Austria's security authorities also increased protective measures for a church in Vienna, as it was also considered a potential target by the same Islamist group.
- The group suspected of planning the attack could have ties to the Islamic State Province of Khorasan (ISPK), an offshoot of the Islamic State terror network, which has been engaged in an armed conflict with the Taliban in Afghanistan.
- The first arrests in connection with the plan were reportedly made by special units in Vienna and one in Germany on Saturday, although the Austrian authorities declined to comment on the matter, citing ongoing investigations.
- Austrian police have heightened their surveillance of high-risk locations, including churches and Christmas markets, in response to calls for terrorist attacks against Christian events and a current threat assessment by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution.
- The terror alert level in Austria remains elevated, with civilian and uniformed forces using special equipment and rifles to maintain security during the Christmas holidays.
- Since the terrorist attack by Hamas on Israel in October, there have been growing concerns in Germany about the potential for similar attacks within its borders.
Source: www.stern.de
