German police have arrested three individuals on suspicion of plotting a New Year’s Eve attack targeting the iconic cathedral in Cologne.
The alleged means of attack involves a car, prompting authorities to enhance security measures around the site. Cologne Police Chief Johannes Hermann revealed that the three suspects are believed to be linked to a Tajik individual previously arrested on Christmas Eve. The Tajik, detained in Germany, coincided with the arrest of three additional suspects in Vienna, all reportedly Tajiks associated with planning attacks for Islamic State-Khorasan (IS-K), an IS offshoot in Afghanistan. “Islamist people and groups” are currently deemed “more active than ever,” cautioned Herbert Reul, the interior minister of North Rhine-Westphalia state, where Cologne is situated. Investigations following the Tajik’s arrest a week ago uncovered a plot involving a car as a means of attack. However, the specifics of the plan remain unknown. Frank Wissbaum of Cologne police stated that sniffer dogs were deployed to search the cathedral’s underground parking for explosives, but nothing suspicious has been found. Despite the lack of evidence, protective measures have been significantly intensified, with approximately 1,000 police officers deployed to “protect the cathedral and the population in Cologne city centre.” Minister Reul expressed confidence that New Year’s festivities can proceed safely, emphasising that people can celebrate calmly in Cologne. Germany has been on high alert in recent weeks due to potential Islamist threats, with domestic intelligence chief warnings about increased risks following the Israel-Hamas war. The deadliest Islamist extremist attack in Germany occurred in December 2016 when an IS supporter drove a truck into a Berlin Christmas market, resulting in 12 fatalities.
