According to the France-Presse (AFP) agency, the Austrian Interior Ministry said that as part of an intervention in an Islamic network, four people were arrested on Saturday, three of whom remain deprived of their liberty today pending further investigation.
Noting that there is “an increased risk,” police have also stepped up checks, especially around churches, religious ceremonies and Christmas markets in Austria’s capital Vienna.
“There is no immediate threat of an attack in Vienna,” the police spokesperson said.
On Saturday, Austrian police reported that “terrorist actors in Europe are calling for attacks on Christian events, especially around December 24.”
According to the website of the German daily Bild, security services in Austria, Germany and Spain received signals on Saturday that an Islamic group is planning to carry out several attacks in Europe, possibly on New Year’s Eve and Christmas.
According to the newspaper, Christmas masses in Cologne, Vienna and Madrid could be targeted in these attacks, noting that one person was arrested in Germany.
Also according to Bild, the detainees are Tajiks suspected of wanting to commit attacks in the name of Islamic State (IS) in Khorasan (IS-K), the local branch of IS in Afghanistan.
On Saturday evening, police carried out searches with sniffer dogs at the cathedral in Cologne, Germany, following a “danger warning” issued for New Year’s Eve, but which authorities also took into account for Christmas. However, nothing suspicious was found.
In July, a cell of suspected EI-K Islamists was dismantled in Germany and the Netherlands. Those arrested in Germany were suspected of planning an attack in the country.
Source: DN
