Cologne on alert. German police are using sniffer dogs to carry out searches in the cathedral of this city in the west of the country this Saturday evening after a “danger alert” was issued for New Year's Eve.
“Even if the information relates to New Year’s Eve, starting this evening we will do everything we can to ensure the safety of cathedral visitors on Christmas Eve,” Cologne Police Chief Michael Esser is quoted as saying in a press release.
After the evening mass and “in agreement with the head of security of the cathedral chapter,” the cathedral was searched with sniffer dogs, the police said. “On Sunday, all visitors will be screened before entering the place of worship,” the press release says. “The police and the cathedral chapter recommend avoiding bags and arriving early for masses,” it says.
The German daily Bild states on its website that security services in Austria, Germany and Spain have received indications that an Islamist group may want to carry out several attacks in Europe on New Year's Eve and Christmas. According to the newspaper, the targets of these attacks could be Christmas fairs in Cologne, Vienna and Madrid.
He also claims that the first arrests by special forces took place on Saturday in Vienna, as well as one in Germany.