Cologne and Vienna police announced on Saturday evening that they are stepping up security measures due to possible threats.
The planners of the attack could be linked to the terrorist group Islamic State-Khorasan Province.
The newspaper “Bild” reports that the special task forces of the police made arrests in Vienna and that a person was also detained in Germany.
The police said that the security authorities, which deal with politically motivated crimes, have started an investigation.
The authorities have informed that believers and tourists who will visit the Cologne Cathedral in the coming days will be subject to enhanced security procedures.
The possible attack could have been planned on New Year’s Eve, according to the police.
Despite this, the police have already taken security measures on Christmas Eve.
On Saturday, after the evening service, the Cologne Cathedral was checked with service dogs for possible bombs.
Vienna police have also announced that they are implementing additional security measures in light of warnings of possible attacks during the Christian holiday across Europe.
According to the assessment of the Office for the Protection of the Constitution, there is an increased threat level during Christmas.
Therefore, in Vienna and other federal states, security measures have been increased in high-risk areas, including churches and Christmas markets, where both plainclothes and uniformed armed police are deployed.
2023-12-24 08:05:00
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