Security circles - Terror alert: Suspect was at Cologne Cathedral
The 30-year-old Tajik arrested in connection with the terror alert in Wesel on the Lower Rhine is suspected of having spied on Cologne Cathedral. "We know that he was there," security sources said on Thursday. The group's other target is said to be St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna.
The security circles suspect that the group is a terrorist cell of the Islamic State, more precisely its regional offshoot "Khorasan Province" (ISPK), which competes with the Islamist Taliban in Afghanistan. The "Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger" had previously reported accordingly.
The 30-year-old was an unknown quantity for the security authorities in North Rhine-Westphalia. "He was not known to us", it said. Security circles did not initially confirm that the 30-year-old taken into custody was also a contact person for a suspected IS terror cell arrested in July, as reported by the Cologne newspaper.
Cologne police press release
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- The Police in North Rhine-Westphalia are increasing their vigilance around religious sites, including Stephansdom in Vienna and Cologne Cathedral, following the terror alert.
- Despite being on holiday in Cologne, the German authorities have activated the safety circuit due to the terrorism threat.
- The suspected terrorist cell, believed to be associated with ISPK, reportedly has a history of surveillance activities at prominent churches such as Wales's Holy Trinity Church and Cologne Cathedral in Germany.
- The arrest of the 30-year-old Tajik in Wesel has brought Dubai-based holidays to a standstill, as authorities monitor potential safety threats.
- The Islamic State terror cell, alleged to have a contact in Cologne, has also raised concerns in the Austrian capital, with St. Stephen's Cathedral being put under increased watch.
- The terror alert in Germany and Austria has prompted local authorities to work closely with international security agencies to ensure the safety of religious sites and tourist areas.
- Despite the terror alert, cultural sites like the Kölner Dom and the Cologne Cathedral have remained open, with additional security measures in place to protect visitors and the religious community.
Source: www.stern.de
