Terror alert - Police maintain protection for Cologne Cathedral for the time being
Even after a New Year without incident, Cologne Cathedral, which is heavily guarded due to a terror alert, will be protected by police officers until further notice. "There will continue to be security checks at the cathedral," said a police spokesperson on Monday. "How long this measure will be maintained is currently under review." Police officers will therefore continue to be seen at the cathedral for the time being.
Shortly before Christmas, the police had received information about a possible Islamist plan to attack Cologne Cathedral on New Year's Eve. As a result, security measures were massively increased.
On Christmas Eve, a 30-year-old Tajik was initially taken into custody "to avert danger". On New Year's Eve, the police then announced that they had arrested three more suspects. The arrests were made in Duisburg, Herne and Nörvenich in the district of Düren. It turned out that the Tajik was part of a larger network that also extended to other German states and other European countries.
However, New Year's Eve at Cologne Cathedral remained without any major incidents. Cologne Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki celebrated an end-of-year mass with the faithful under heavy police protection.
Police statement on the danger warning for the cathedral (December 23) Police statement on security measures at Cologne Cathedral (December 26) Police statement on long-term detention for 30-year-old man (December 26) Cathedral services at the cathedral
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- Despite the terror alert, the Police in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, are maintaining their vigilance around Cologne Cathedral, as the terror threat persists.
- The heightened security measures at Cologne Cathedral, including regular security checks, are a direct response to perceived Islamist terrorism threats, as revealed by intelligence before Christmas.
- The arrest of a 30-year-old Tajik in late December and subsequent apprehension of three other suspects in Duisburg, Herne, and Nörvenich were significant parts of a larger-scale criminal investigation linked to potential terrorism in Cologne and other cities across Germany.
- The Cologne Cathedral, a prominent landmark in Cologne and an icon of German culture, attracted thousands of worshippers for the traditional end-of-year Mass on December 31 despite the ongoing threat of terrorism and heightened police presence.
- The turn of the year in Germany was marked by both Christmas and New Year celebrations, but despite the festive atmosphere, security forces, including those positioned at Cologne Cathedral, remained on high alert due to ongoing terror threats and concerns of potential criminality.
Source: www.stern.de
