Three people suspected of being involved in an Islamist network were arrested in Austria, authorities announced on Sunday, as Vienna and Berlin stepped up security around churches and Christmas markets due to an “increased risk”.
“Intervening on an Islamist network,” Austrian authorities arrested four people on Saturday, the Interior Ministry said. A ministry spokesperson then indicated that of these four, three remained detained pending further investigations. Citing “an increased risk”, the police have also strengthened controls, particularly around churches, religious ceremonies and Christmas markets in Vienna.
“No immediate threat of attack in Vienna”
“There is no immediate threat of attack in Vienna,” the police spokesperson nevertheless clarified.
On Saturday, Austrian police said in a statement that “terrorist agents in Europe are calling for attacks against Christian events, especially around December 24.”
At the same time, the German authorities announced that they had strengthened security measures in and around Cologne Cathedral in particular, one of the most visited in the country, due to a security risk linked to a threat described as “Islamist” .
“We are extremely vigilant”
The faithful going to Christmas religious services must submit to strict controls at entry in particular.
“We all enjoy our Christmas traditions and we do not let ourselves be intimidated,” German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser told regional media group Funke on Sunday.
“But we take the Islamist terrorist threat very seriously and are extremely vigilant,” she added, “our security services monitor Islamist circles and act accordingly, as demonstrated by ongoing measures.”
Plans for attacks
According to the German daily website Bild On Saturday, security services in Austria, Germany and Spain received indications that an Islamist group wanted to carry out several attacks in Europe, possibly on New Year’s Eve and Christmas.
According to the newspaper, the targets of these attacks could be Christmas masses in Cologne, Vienna and Madrid.
He also claims that one person was arrested in Germany.
A local branch of ISIS in Afghanistan
According to Bild, those arrested are Tajiks suspected of having wanted to carry out attacks in the name of the Islamic State in Khorasan (EI-K), the local branch of IS in Afghanistan.
Searches with sniffer dogs carried out by police on Saturday evening in Cologne Cathedral did not result in the discovery of suspicious objects.
In July, a cell of suspected EI-K Islamists was dismantled in Germany and the Netherlands. Those arrested in Germany were suspected of planning to carry out an attack in the country.