Five men have now been arrested in connection with the attack warning for the Cologne Cathedral. Four of them have already been released and a 30-year-old Tajik remains in custody.
He will stay there until January 7, the police headquarters in Cologne announced on Tuesday. In connection with the attack warning for the Cologne Cathedral, an apartment in neighboring Austria has so far been searched and a total of five men arrested. The operation was carried out by special forces in Wesel (North Rhine-Westphalia). There is “information relevant to state security” about the man who must remain in custody.
The Cologne police announced this on Tuesday evening.
“Insight into security measures”
The Oberhausen Administrative Court confirmed the police request. “We are exhausting all legal options to protect the people, the cathedral and the upcoming New Year’s Eve celebrations. We are conducting investigations at high speed and are grateful that visitors to the cathedral show understanding for the strict security measures,” said Michel Esser, head of operations of the German criminal investigation service, in a press release. At the same time, he thanked the “many colleagues who are on an important mission today.”
Ban on sightseeing
Police had ordered special security measures for the cathedral on Saturday evening, including a widespread ban on guided tours (see video above). After police received initial information, the cathedral was searched and visitors were checked at the entrance. After several hours the signal was finally given: sniffer dogs had discovered no explosives.
The midnight mass on Christmas Eve itself was peaceful and according to the police the extensive checks were unobtrusive. It would have remained quiet around the cathedral. A man was arrested in Saarland on Sunday in connection with the attack plans.
Cologne Cathedral, St. Stephen’s Cathedral and church services in Madrid are said to have been targeted by Islamists. Recently it was said from Vienna that there was no concrete plan of attack. An application for pre-trial detention was filed in the federal capital against two suspected Islamists and one suspected Islamist. They are said to be part of the cross-border network that is said to have been considering attacks.
Source: Krone
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