Other barracks closed due to possible sabotage
In Cologne, the lockdown of a large air force base has caused a stir. Soldiers are said to have been instructed not to use drinking water there. There is suspicion of a sabotage act. While investigations are ongoing, another base has been completely sealed off.
Following the suspicion of possible sabotage at the German Armed Forces site in Cologne-Wahn, the NATO support point in North Rhine-Westphalia's Geilenkirchen has also been locked down. A spokesman for the Territorial Command confirmed this to the "Süddeutsche Zeitung" (SZ). Accordingly, the base there has also been closed. A possible contamination of the drinking water is also being checked there, but the base is said to have its own water pump station. Reconnaissance aircraft, among others, are stationed at the NATO air base in Geilenkirchen.
According to unconfirmed information, the suspicion of sabotage has hardened in connection with the lockdown of the base in Cologne. The reason for this is said to be statements made by a person who has been taken into custody. The spokesman for the Territorial Command could not initially confirm these internal Bundeswehr information passed on to the SZ. In the meantime, a large number of security authorities have been involved.
Investigators at the Cologne-Wahn air base are currently looking into peculiarities at a waterworks and the suspicion of a crime against the Bundeswehr. The base was locked down for this reason. A hole in a fence was also discovered following indications of a disturbance. This initially unconfirmed suspicion was that the water supply could have been sabotaged. Water samples were also taken for examination.
"Abnormal values" found in drinking water
The German News Network later reported, citing security circles, that "abnormal values" had been found in the drinking water. There are also said to be symptoms of poisoning in five to six firefighters at the site.
The base could no longer be entered or exited in the morning. The police had cordoned it off extensively. Several units are accommodated in the base. The Air Force's flight readiness service, responsible for travel by cabinet members and high-ranking government officials, is also based there.
The "Spiegel" reported that soldiers and civilian staff had been urgently advised in internal messages not to drink the water. Several reports of stomach problems have been received by the Armed Forces Airport Police, but a possible connection to the water on the site is unclear.
A spokesman for the Territorial Command of the German Armed Forces told ntv.de that they wished a speedy and full recovery for any Bundeswehr members who may have been harmed by the incident. They did not want to make any further statements due to the ongoing investigation.
Warning about Russian activities
The chairman of the Parliamentary Control Committee of the Bundestag, Konstantin von Notz, warned of hybrid warfare by Russia. "If the suspicions are confirmed, the real dangers of the hybrid war that Putin's Russia is waging against the Western democracies for our society will once again become apparent," he told the German News Network.
The Green politician emphasized: "There are almost daily cyber attacks, wide-ranging disinformation campaigns that promote anti-democratic parties and individuals in Germany, Europe, and the US, aiming to divide our society, but there's also espionage and sabotage."
The Commission has been actively involved in the investigation into the abnormal values found in the drinking water at the Cologne-Wahn air base. Their expertise in water analysis has been crucial in determining the source and extent of the contamination.
In light of the findings, The Commission has issued a warning to all military bases across Germany to strictly monitor their water supplies for any signs of tampering or contamination.
