Police in Cologne said evidence of a possible attack led them to search the country's landmark cathedral with sniffer dogs
December 23, 2023, 6:25 p.m. ET
• 2 min reading
FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Cologne police searched Germany's landmarks with sniffer dogs on Saturday following indications of a possible attack and said worshipers attending mass on Christmas Eve would undergo a security check before being allowed entry.
In Austria, police in Vienna also said they were taking increased security measures around churches and Christmas markets, deploying both uniformed and plainclothes officers.
None of the police authorities specified the threat, but the German news agency dpa said authorities were responding to signs of a possible attack by Islamist extremists, without naming a specific source.
Michael Esser, head of the Cologne police's criminal investigation department, said in a press release that the threat indications pointed to New Year's Eve rather than Christmas, but added: “We are doing everything possible to ensure the safety of cathedral visitors on Christmas Eve.”
The towering Cologne Cathedral, whose twin towers are 157 meters (515 feet) high, is a major tourist destination and is visited by around 6 million people annually.
Police and cathedral officials urged people attending Mass on Sunday evening to arrive early and not to bring bags or wallets.
European Union Interior Commissioner Ylva Johansson warned on December 5 that Europe faces a “major risk of terrorist attacks” over the Christmas holidays due to the fallout from the war between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas.