A man arrested in connection with a terror warning outside Cologne Cathedral will not be released due to a European arrest warrant from Austria.
The Cologne police announced on Sunday that extradition proceedings were pending at the Public Prosecution Service in Cologne. The court in Cologne then issued a so-called arrest warrant. The 30-year-old Tajik was transferred to the Cologne Correctional Facility.
According to the newspaper “Bild”, the man is said to have been involved in the preparations for a terrorist attack on St. Stephen’s Cathedral or the Prater in Vienna. According to the newspaper, he was said to have been in Vienna on December 8. An Islamic leader is said to have given him instructions. The Tajik is also said to have been in Austria on December 19 and, together with an accomplice living in an asylum center in Vienna, to have spied on potential attack targets.
Attack on St. Stephen’s Cathedral
A state security official told ‘Bild’: ‘The weapon used in the attack on Cologne Cathedral was probably a car. It is still unclear whether the intention was to blow him up or drive into a crowd. In Vienna, the terrorists probably wanted to attack a Christmas event in St. Stephen’s Cathedral.”
In Vienna, the police increased security measures over Christmas. The Austrian Office for the Protection of the Constitution arrested four people on December 23. Two men and a woman had to be taken into custody over the Christmas period.
Arrest warrant from Austria
The suspect was arrested in Wesel on Christmas Eve. According to previous police reports, he was in long-term custody until Sunday. The Cologne police did not want to comment on the contents of the European arrest warrant. It concerns an arrest warrant from Austria, said a police spokesperson for the German Press Agency (dpa).
Shortly before Christmas, security authorities received information about a planned terrorist attack in Cologne Cathedral or in the area around the cathedral. Islamist extremists should support this. After further investigation, police reported on New Year’s Eve that it involved a “network of people from Central Asia”.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
