Attack on the cathedral planned?
Cologne police arrest fifth suspect
January 1, 2024, 4:42 p.m
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An Islamist group is said to be planning a terrorist attack on Cologne Cathedral. Security measures are then increased around the city’s landmark and the police take four suspects into custody. Now another one is added.
The police have arrested another suspect in connection with a possibly planned terrorist attack on Cologne Cathedral. The officials announced this on New Year’s Day. It is a 41-year-old who was taken into custody in Bochum on New Year’s Eve. He has both German and Turkish citizenship, a spokesman said.
“After the tip-off about a possible attack scenario for Cologne Cathedral, we did everything in our power to protect the population,” said Police Chief Johannes Hermanns. They are happy that people could have celebrated New Year’s Eve – “even with increased protective measures.” The number of suspects taken into custody after the terrorist alarm increased to five.
On Sunday morning, three men had already been taken into custody in connection with possible attack plans in Duisburg, Herne and Nörvenich in the Düren district. According to recent information from the police, it was a 25-year-old, a 30-year-old and a 38-year-old. They are of “Tajik or Uzbek nationality”. A 30-year-old Tajik man was arrested on Christmas Eve “to ward off danger.” He was placed in so-called long-term custody until January 7th. The police assume a larger network.
For the four suspects arrested on New Year’s Eve, a judge is now checking how long the custodial measures against them will be maintained, the Cologne police said. The background to the Cologne police’s actions is that shortly before Christmas they received information about a planned Islamist terrorist attack on Cologne Cathedral. The security precautions at the cathedral were then massively increased. A large police force was on duty on New Year’s Eve. The cathedral will continue to be protected by police officers until further notice.