Two barracks are locked down for 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 drink tap water due to suspicions of sabotage. While investigations are ongoing, another base has been completely sealed off.
Following the Bundeswehr site in Cologne-Wahn, the NATO support point in North Rhine-Westphalia's Geilenkirchen has also been cordoned off due to suspicions of possible sabotage. A spokesman for the Territorial Command confirmed this to the "Süddeutsche Zeitung" (SZ). According to this, the base there has also been closed. There, too, a possible contamination of drinking water is being examined, and the base is said to have its own water pump station. According to SZ information, AWACS reconnaissance aircraft are stationed at NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen. There, too, a suspicious person is said to have been seen.
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. Overall, a large number of security authorities are now involved, it was said.
Investigators at Cologne-Wahn Air Base are currently examining anomalies at a waterworks and the suspicion of a crime against the Bundeswehr. For this purpose, the base has been cordoned off. A hole in a fence has also been discovered, it was said. This initially unconfirmed suspicion was that the water supply might have been sabotaged. Water samples were also taken for examination.
"Abnormal values" found in drinking water
The German Press Agency later reported, citing security sources, that "abnormal values" had been found in the drinking water. There are also said to be signs 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 stationed at the base. The Air Force's flight readiness service, responsible for the travel of cabinet members and high-ranking government officials, is also based there.
The "Spiegel" reported that in internal messages, soldiers and civilian personnel were urgently advised not to drink tap water. Several reports of stomach problems have been received by the Bundeswehr airport police, but a possible connection to the water on the site is unclear.
A spokesman for the Territorial Command of the Bundeswehr told ntv.de that they wished a speedy and full recovery to all Bundeswehr members who may have been affected by the incident. Due to the ongoing investigations, no further information is currently being provided.
Warning against Russian activities
The chairman of the Parliamentary Control Panel of the Bundestag, Konstantin von Notz, warned against 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 Press Agency.
The Green politician emphasized: "There are almost daily cyber attacks, widespread disinformation campaigns that promote anti-democratic parties and individuals in Germany, Europe, and the US, aiming to divide our society, but there is also espionage and sabotage."
In light of the findings, additional scrutiny has been directed towards the German Armed Forces' bases, with NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen also undergoing inspection due to potential sabotage concerns. The German Armed Forces, specifically the base there, has its own water pump station and is currently investigating a possible contamination in its drinking water supplies.
Furthermore, the chairman of the Parliamentary Control Panel of the Bundestag, Konstantin von Notz, has issued a warning against potential Russian hybrid warfare activities, suggesting that if the suspicions of sabotage at the German Armed Forces bases are confirmed, it would highlight the ongoing risks posed by Putin's Russia to Western democracies.
