German police on Sunday detained three more suspects in an Islamist plot to attack Germany’s famed Cologne Cathedral on New Year’s Eve, Reuters reports.
Cologne police director Frank Wissbaum told a news conference that the alleged attackers planned to use a car to attack the 800-year-old Gothic structure on the banks of the Rhine. The method of the planned attack was unclear, he told reporters. Frank Wissbaum noted:
“The three people are now securely in custody, which we are very glad about since they can no longer communicate with each other.”
On Saturday, investigators uncovered evidence linking the three men to a 30-year-old Tajik man allegedly linked to Islamic State militants who has been in custody since 24 December.
Federal authorities are still investigating the case, which he described as a “network of individuals” from Central Asia with links to several German states and European countries.
Police said the suspects were detained in the western cities of Duisburg, Herne and Noerwenich, and communication devices were seized during searches of their flats.
Security has been beefed up in and around the cathedral ahead of the New Year’s Eve service. Thousands of extra police officers are patrolling Berlin, where last year’s New Year celebrations were marred by violent clashes.
Metropolitan police are also on alert after a solidarity demonstration with Palestinians scheduled for midnight was banned. Many Muslims in Germany are unhappy with Tel Aviv’s support for its war against Hamas.
