German security authorities are investigating indications of a possible attack on New Year’s Eve. The destination could be Cologne Cathedral. The clues are vague – but the police still searched the cathedral.
The tip came from a foreign intelligence service: Several people in Europe may be planning terrorist attacks on the last day of the year in several locations in Europe. One destination could be Cologne Cathedral. Specific names of people who may be involved also emerge from the note. They are located in Austria, Spain and Germany, according to information from ARD capital studio and SWR a man in Saarland in his sights.
A few days before Christmas Eve, the tip hit the German security authorities in a difficult situation. The tension is high due to the increased threat situation, alarm plans have been made – and yet many civil servants are already thinking about Christmas and their families. So how serious is the tip?
Arrest in Saarland
For the German investigators, the focus is on the man in Saarland. He has long been known to the authorities as an extremist, but there are vague indications of his possible involvement in any specific crime. Nevertheless, he was arrested on Saturday. The authorities now have to decide by midnight on Sunday whether the available material is sufficient to request an arrest warrant. If not, he must be released.
The Federal Prosecutor General in Karlsruhe has also been involved in the matter in the past few hours, but is skeptical because of the thin nature of the matter, according to investigative circles. An official statement from the authority was not available on Saturday evening. The state police say they would have been happy if Karlsruhe had taken over the case.
Safety precautions at Cologne Cathedral
Even though the tip actually only concerns New Year’s Eve, the Cologne police are already taking the case very seriously. The head of Cologne’s criminal investigation department, Michael Esser, said on Saturday that even if the reference was to New Year’s Eve, “we will do everything we can this evening to ensure the safety of cathedral visitors on Christmas Eve.”
The cathedral was to be searched that evening, but would open on Sunday. Visitors to the upcoming Christmas fairs are advised to avoid handbags and similar accessories in order to simplify controls. The Cologne police want to provide details on the status of the investigation on Sunday morning.
It is unclear whether the evidence can then be substantiated. However, the events show how tense the security authorities have been for weeks and how seriously they take even vague indications of a possible attack.