German and Austrian authorities have arrested several suspected Islamist terrorists who were planning to attack the Cologne Cathedral and other cultural sites in Vienna and Madrid. The terrorists prioritized Christmas masses in churches as targets. Security has been heightened, with armed police and sniffer dogs deployed to root out explosives at cathedrals in Cologne and Vienna. Worshippers attending Christmas Eve and Midnight Mass underwent security screening. The heightened security measures come in the wake of government warnings about the rising threat of Islamist violence in recent weeks.
WATCH: Christians attending Midnight Mass at Cologne Cathedral are protected by a large police presence and sniffer dogs following the credible threat of a planned Islamist terror attack. Cologne’s police chief Michael Esser said all visitors would be screened ahead of Christmas… https://t.co/CK5WCZEySC
Police in the German city of Cologne have increased security at its main cathedral following an alert of a possible terror attack by Islamists. https://t.co/Lyrlguf43o
Islamist Terror Cell Plotted Numerous Attacks in Cologne, Vienna, and Madrid – Christmas Church Services Targeted via @gatewaypundit https://t.co/8CjG2wTQsL
Christmas Mass at Cologne Cathedral under heightened police security following terror warning https://t.co/caOoLmVuEA https://t.co/DP2zBgFDmv
Islamists Planned Huge Attacks In Europe On Christian Sites Over Christmas Period https://t.co/uESzWhfhqW
COLOGNE Catholics attend Midnight Mass at Kölner Dom under the protection of armed police as the threat of radical Islamist terror looms https://t.co/QOE4HSoGqY
ICYMI: #Austria says three people were detained for suspected involvement in an “extremist network,” as Vienna and #Cologne step up police controls citing heightened security concerns during #Christmas. https://t.co/n9h01iIQYW
COLOGNE Catholics are attending Christmas Eve Mass under armed guard after threats to blow up Cologne Cathedral https://t.co/XsVYijhX0r
Islamic Terrorists Plotting Christmas Attacks in EU Arrested in Vienna and Germany https://t.co/nODLP1fICO
German police heightened security at Cologne Cathedral following indications of an attack planned for New Year's Eve. This comes in the wake of government warnings in recent weeks about the rising threat of Islamist violence https://t.co/mELZrhmflm https://t.co/gP0fmAKtkw
Cologne Cathedral: Extra checks at German landmark after attack warning https://t.co/V31YNRfkhA
#Austria says three people were detained for suspected involvement in an “extremist network,” as Vienna and #Cologne step up police controls citing heightened security concerns during Christmas. https://t.co/n9h01iIQYW
Heightened security and terrorism threats cast a shadow on Christmas eve in Cologne https://t.co/RKXQaoU1MM https://t.co/jV9Gp7FL6p
German police are increasing security at Cologne Cathedral after learning that extremist Muslims may be planning Islamic terror attacks around Christmas & New Years. Yesterday, Austrian authorities arrested four believed to be linked to a jihadist cell. https://t.co/sEDI2GlJ1K
German police searched churchgoers at Cologne Cathedral on Christmas Eve following indications of an attack planned for New Year's Eve. The heightened security comes in the wake of government warnings in recent weeks about a rising threat level https://t.co/mELZrhmflm https://t.co/NdituZKaSU
Several Suspected Islamists Arrested over Christmas Terror Attack Plot on Cologne Cathedral https://t.co/Hhn5MhxIeH
Christmas In the New Europe: Jihad Massacre Foiled at Germany’s Cologne Cathedral - https://t.co/wPw2l0gcMC
Austrian, German, and Spanish police were on high alert at cathedrals in several cities due to concerns that Islamists were planning a terrorist attack on Christmas or New Year's Eve, with several suspects already arrested in Vienna and Germany. https://t.co/05ZdkTi6Ur
On the eve of Christmas, police operations took place in Cologne and Vienna due to a terrorist threat https://t.co/l0zvgcSt3c https://t.co/kWkZZfGGvs
In Cologne the German & Austrian intelligence agencies have uncovered planned terrorist attacks on Cathedrals & markets. Another target is St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna as several ISIS affiliated Tajiks were arrested with another in Saarland. https://t.co/dMcL9pfM7d https://t.co/yWn1XqgmbX
Christmas Eve worshippers to face security screening at Cologne cathedral as police cite attack risk https://t.co/3NV9mQYapD
Cologne police acting on indications of a possible attack searched Germany’s landmark cathedral with sniffer dogs, and said worshippers attending Christmas Eve Mass would undergo security screening before being allowed in. In Austria, police in Vienna also said they were taking… https://t.co/uMVmfVQr7B
Live update: Police in Cologne, Vienna up security around churches amid reports of Islamist threat https://t.co/9Nxv3UhBz7 . Click to read ⬇️
German police search Cologne Cathedral after security threat https://t.co/QbCXnL2nRs
VIENNA, MADRID Police have revealed that Muslim terrorists were planning to attack Catholics at churches in Austria and Spain's capital cities https://t.co/NY2FjPEZ5R
German police warn of possible attack at Cologne Cathedral (DW) German authorities said that have received an alert that a group may have been planning an attack on the Cologne Cathedral, the DPA news agency reported Saturday. Authorities have not elaborated on the alert they… https://t.co/ZBSczRQ3wy
Austrian, German, and Spanish police were on high alert at cathedrals in several cities due to concerns that #ISIS-affiliated terrorists were planning an attack on #Christmas or New Year's Eve, with suspects already arrested in Vienna and #Germany. https://t.co/05ZdkTi6Ur
Security hiked at Cologne cathedral for Christmas amid attack threat https://t.co/t3pQsPZaIy https://t.co/9lu17nALAF
Armed police guard cathedrals in Cologne and Vienna and sniffer dogs have been deployed to root out explosives ahead of Christmas church services. https://t.co/tFpLbHnKRb
Christmas In the New Europe: Jihad Massacre Foiled at Germany’s Cologne Cathedral https://t.co/zHbgkgXTyc
BREAKING: Police arrest members of Islamist terror cell that was about to strike targets in Cologne, Vienna, and Madrid. Christmas masses in churches are to have been prioritized targets for the terrorists. Merry Christmas Europe… https://t.co/oeyEy5PXRG
COLOGNE German police have revealed that Islamic terrorists were planning to carry out a terrorist attack on Catholics at Cologne Cathedral this week It comes as city officials this week bowed to pressure from the Grey Wolves to remove an Armenian Genocide memorial https://t.co/312SZVC4xZ
Islamists planned to carry out several terror attacks on Christians in Europe on Christmas Eve and on Christmas Day in Austria, Germany and Spain. Arrests were made today in Vienna and Germany. In Vienna, St. Stephen’s Cathedral is said to be particularly at risk. The Vienna… https://t.co/JlSzNJLLnd
Several Arrests of Islamist Terrorists have been made in Austria and Germany today over a Plot which was Uncovered by the German Federal Intelligence Service to launch an Attack on multiple Cultural Sites including Cologne Cathedral. https://t.co/ThlkPSvqKx
Germany: Muslims planned jihad massacre at Cologne cathedral - https://t.co/S3LpW60F4H
BREAKING: Several suspected Islamist terrorists have been arrested after their plans to attack the Cologne Cathedral were uncovered. It’s was in front of the same cathedral that hundreds of German women were sexually assaulted by migrants on New Year’s Eve 2015. https://t.co/cgjJt8SLvq
JUST IN - Islamists planned attack on Cologne Cathedral, several arrests in Vienna and Germany — BILD https://t.co/q91FqJFsKu
JUST IN - Police take "special protective measures" from this evening due to increased danger to Cologne Cathedral, Germany. There are ongoing investigations by the police state security agency, per a police press statement. https://t.co/VnlOXLPYbw