Possible Islamist attack plans: Five arrests
A total of five people are arrested in Germany and Austria. They are suspected of having planned Islamist attacks. One extremist from the Saarland could be connected to an IS offshoot. However, the evidence is still said to be vague.
According to media reports, a man has been arrested in Saarland in connection with indications of suspected Islamist plans to attack Cologne Cathedral. ARD reported, without citing sources, that the suspect could be connected to the extremist group ISPK, the Pakistani branch of the Islamic State. The Federal Prosecutor General has not yet commented on the report. 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. However, the indications of his possible involvement in a criminal offense are vague. The authorities must now decide by midnight on Sunday whether they will apply for an arrest warrant for the man. The Federal Public Prosecutor General is also involved in the case, but is skeptical due to the thin facts of the case, according to investigative circles.
According to the Austrian Ministry of the Interior, the Austrian Office for the Protection of the Constitution has also arrested four people in an investigation into an Islamist network. The Directorate for State Security and Intelligence Service in the Austrian Ministry of the Interior announced that the suspects are currently being questioned and corresponding evaluations are underway. Further details could not be given at present for reasons of criminal tactics.
The Ministry of the Interior in Vienna stated that the security situation in Austria and throughout Europe is tense. The security authorities are therefore taking precautionary measures during the Christmas holidays in the form of increased surveillance and monitoring in public spaces.
Checks before church services
On Saturday evening, the police in Cologne announced special protective measures for Cologne Cathedral. All visitors would be checked before entering the place of worship. No explosives were found during a previous search.
According to dpa information, security authorities had received indications of a possible attack plan by an Islamist group on Cologne Cathedral and a church. The "Bild" newspaper had reported that the security authorities in Austria, Germany and Spain had received information that an Islamist terrorist cell was possibly planning to carry out several attacks in Europe on New Year's Eve or at Christmas. Targets could also include Christmas services in Cologne, Vienna and Madrid.
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The arrest in Saarland is thought to be related to suspected Islamist plans for a terror attack on Cologne Cathedral, as reported by ARD. Authorities are currently evaluating evidence and deciding whether to issue an arrest warrant for the individual, who is known to be an extremist.
The Austrian Office for the Protection of the Constitution has also arrested four people in relation to an Islamist network investigation, according to the Austrian Ministry of the Interior. The individuals are currently being questioned as evaluations continue.
Source: www.ntv.de
