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Germany hunts suspected Isis bombers planning Munich New Year's Eve attack Germany hunts suspected Isis bombers planning Munich New Year's Eve attack
(about 1 hour later)
Five to seven Islamic State suicide bombers were planning to launch an attack on New Year’s Eve, German authorities have said, as police in Munich evacuated train stations and warned people to stay away. Police in Munich are hunting Islamic State suspects after a foreign intelligence agency warned of a “concrete” plan to send suicide bombers to the city’s train stations during New Year’s Eve celebrations.
Munich police president Hubertus Andrae said 550 emergency services personnel had been deployed to track down the suspects and secure the sites, and that no arrests had yet been made. Five to seven suicide bombers were planning attacks on the main Hauptbahnhof station and Pasing station at the western end of the city centre, German authorities said in what was a “serious, imminent threat”, prompting them to evacuate the sites and warn people to stay away.
A police spokeswoman said it could not be ruled out that the suspected attackers could seek another target. About 550 officers have been deployed to secure the city and no arrests had yet been made, said Munich police president Hubertus Andrä.
Related: Munich police warned of attack by 'five to seven suicide bombers' - liveRelated: Munich police warned of attack by 'five to seven suicide bombers' - live
Andrae said authorities were tipped off by a foreign intelligence service that the jihadi group was planning the attacks. German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung said the information was passed on by French intelligence services. The Bavarian interior minister, Joachim Herrmann, told a media conference on Thursday night: “The threat was very concretely centred on midnight and at these two places.” He added that all necessary security measures were being taken.
Bavaria’s interior minister, Joachim Herrmann, said there was “concrete” information that the Isis threat related to midnight and the two train stations. Citing anonymous security sources, Bavarian state broadcaster BR reported that Germany had received warnings from both US and French intelligence agencies earlier in the day. According to the intelligence, seven Iraqis living in Munich were named as the potential attackers, and they were planning to enter the stations in pairs and blow themselves up simultaneously.
Earlier, police had warned of a “serious, imminent threat” and asked people to stay away from the city’s main train station and a second train station in the city’s Pasing neighbourhood. Munich police spokeswoman Elizabeth Matzinger could not confirm the nationalities or the suspected residence of the suspects, or whether a manhunt for identified individuals was underway.
Police spokesman Werner Kraus told the Associated Press that “after evaluating the situation, we started evacuating the train stations and also asked partygoers to stay away from big crowds outside”. Both stations have since reopened, with a police presence remaining on site. “Investigations are happening, but I cannot give out any details, that is a tactical information,” she told the Guardian. “I can’t confirm whether they are Iraqis, but it was apparently a group of five to seven people affiliated to IS [Isis].”
We are glad that nothing has happened tonight. The inquiries go on of course and we will remain watchful. #munich About 550 officers were on duty around the city, Matzinger added.
The two stations were shut down and evacuated around midnight, while special unit police officers armed with automatic weapons were stationed at entrances.
Related: UK new year events go ahead amid heightened security around the worldRelated: UK new year events go ahead amid heightened security around the world
The warning came only hours before the city rang in the new year, with events passing off without incident. Munich police issued a statement saying that an attack was expected in the city during the night, and warned people to avoid the two stations and large crowds in general. But by 4 am, the situation appeared to have calmed significantly, and the two stations were re-opened.
Despite police warnings to stay away from big crowds, thousands of people were on the streets of Munich at midnight to welcome the new year with fireworks. We are glad that nothing has happened tonight. The inquiries go on of course and we will remain watchful. #munich
“The closures at the main station and the Pasing station have been lifted, but there selective controls are being carried out there,” Matzinger said. “The situation after midnight is more relaxed than it was before midnight, but notwithstanding that we cannot give the all clear. We had a terrorist warning from the French secret service and we are still taking it seriously, because we can’t rule out that it is not serious – and as long as there is still the danger of a grain of truth to it, we will continue our measures.”
At the media conference, Herrmann said the intelligence had not been 100% reliable, but serious enough that it could not be ignored.
He compared the assessment of the danger to that in Hanover on 17 November, when an international friendly football was called off and the stadium evacuated at short notice. There too, a foreign intelligence tip-off had led to the alert, but no arrests were made and no explosives found in the stadium.
“The concrete tip-off came from one source,” Andrä said, before adding that there was no indication yet the threats could be confirmed or that any suspects had been arrested.
However, a spokesman for the police also said there would be a reinforced police presence in Munich city centre in the coming days. The police force was also bolstered in and around the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, where huge New Year’s celebrations were being happening. All large bags and backpacks were banned from the site of the huge street party.
Despite the Munich police warnings to stay away from big crowds, thousands of people were on the streets of Munich at midnight to welcome the new year with fireworks.
DPA reported massive delays in the city’s public transportation system after both train stations were quickly evacuated and trains no longer stopped there.DPA reported massive delays in the city’s public transportation system after both train stations were quickly evacuated and trains no longer stopped there.
In Berlin, the police presence was stepped up at the Brandenburg Gate, where hundreds of thousands of people gathered for festivities. All large bags and backpacks were banned from the site of the huge street party.
The latest development comes amid ongoing security operations across Europe. Police in Belgium detained six people during house searches in Brussels on Thursday in an investigation into an alleged plot to carry out an attack in the city.The latest development comes amid ongoing security operations across Europe. Police in Belgium detained six people during house searches in Brussels on Thursday in an investigation into an alleged plot to carry out an attack in the city.
Earlier in the week, two other people were arrested on suspicion of preparing attacks on “emblematic sites” in Brussels during the celebrations. Another man was questioned over links to last month’s Paris attacks.Earlier in the week, two other people were arrested on suspicion of preparing attacks on “emblematic sites” in Brussels during the celebrations. Another man was questioned over links to last month’s Paris attacks.
Authorities in the Belgian capital said a fireworks display and festivities that attracted 100,000 people in 2014 would not go ahead after revealing the alleged jihadi plot.Authorities in the Belgian capital said a fireworks display and festivities that attracted 100,000 people in 2014 would not go ahead after revealing the alleged jihadi plot.
“Unfortunately we have been forced to cancel the fireworks and all that was planned for tomorrow [Thursday] evening,” the mayor, Yvan Mayeur, told Belgian broadcaster RTBF. “It’s better not to take any risks.”“Unfortunately we have been forced to cancel the fireworks and all that was planned for tomorrow [Thursday] evening,” the mayor, Yvan Mayeur, told Belgian broadcaster RTBF. “It’s better not to take any risks.”
In Paris, where 130 people were killed in December, the annual fireworks display on the Champs Élysées was called off and 11,000 police, soldiers and firefighters patrolled the French capital. More than 100,000 police were deployed across the country, according to the interior minister, Bernard Cazeneuve.In Paris, where 130 people were killed in December, the annual fireworks display on the Champs Élysées was called off and 11,000 police, soldiers and firefighters patrolled the French capital. More than 100,000 police were deployed across the country, according to the interior minister, Bernard Cazeneuve.
Red Square in Moscow, traditionally a place where people gather to ring in the new year, was closed. “It’s no secret that Moscow is one of the choice targets for terrorists,” the city’s mayor, Sergei Sobyanin, said recently.Red Square in Moscow, traditionally a place where people gather to ring in the new year, was closed. “It’s no secret that Moscow is one of the choice targets for terrorists,” the city’s mayor, Sergei Sobyanin, said recently.
New York City said it had its tightest ever New Year’s Eve security to protect an expected 1 million revellers. New York City said it had its tightest ever New Year’s Eve security to protect an estimated 1 million revellers.
A few days after the Paris attack, a soccer stadium in Hannover in central Germany was evacuated after a terror threat against a friendly match between Germany and the Netherlands. The authorities never reported any findings of explosives or concrete attack plans.
This story will be updated regularly. Please check back for more information.