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Munich terror threat remains in place, stations open again Munich terror threat remains in place, stations open again
(about 9 hours later)
BERLIN — Munich train stations reopened and trains were running Friday, as Bavaria’s top security official said that the warning about Islamic State extremists intending to blow themselves up in the German city was no longer acute. BERLIN — A terror warning in Munich on New Year’s Eve that led to the evacuation of two train stations was not a false alert, security officials said Friday, although there have been no arrests.
“We no longer have concrete indications for a terror threat today or tomorrow at a specific location,” Bavarian Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann told reporters. He warned, however, that the overall terror threat in Europe remained high. The evacuation of Munich’s main train station and the Pasing neighborhood station shortly before midnight reportedly followed a warning from a “friendly” foreign intelligence service that five to seven Islamic State militants from Syria and Iraq were planning coordinated attacks on different locations in Munich including the two train stations.
Just shortly before the city rang in the new year, Munich police had evacuated the main train station and a station in the Pasing neighborhood. Partygoers were asked to avoid crowds. Although it wasn’t even yet clear if any would-be attackers actually existed, Munich police president Hubertus Andrae told reporters that the terror warning and consequent evacuation of the train stations had not been “a false alert.”
Herrmann said a friendly foreign intelligence service had warned Germany of an imminent attack at midnight by between five and seven Islamic State militants from Syria and Iraq planning to blow themselves up at locations in Munich, including the two stations. Bavarian Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann told reporters that as of Friday morning the train stations were open again and “we no longer have concrete indications for a terror threat today or tomorrow at a specific location.”
Authorities were investigating intensively on Friday, Herrmann said, but so far had not made any arrests. He said they had received personal data for some of the attackers and were still in the process of investigating and verifying the information. He would not give any further details on the alleged attackers and could not confirm if they actually existed. However, Herrmann warned that the overall threat across Europe remained high after the attacks in Paris in November that killed 130 people.
Herrmann called on Munich residents to be cautious, but at the same time not to let terror threats interfere with their normal lives. Later in November, a warning of a possible imminent attack plunged Brussels into a lockdown for a time. Ten people suspected of involvement in the Paris attacks have been arrested in Belgium.
More than 500 police and special unit officers from all over the southern Bavaria region were called to Munich Thursday night to help evacuate and secure the stations. Friday noon, some 100 extra officers were still present in the city. Shortly before Munich rang in the new year, police evacuated the main train station and the Pasing station. Partygoers were asked to avoid crowds.
German Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere thanked all involved authorities for their “thoughtful, considerate and decisive” action in Munich on New Year’s Eve. Despite those warnings, thousands of people were on the streets of Munich at midnight to welcome the new year with fireworks.
Authorities were investigating intensively on Friday, Herrmann said, but so far had not found any solid evidence for a planned attack. He said they had received personal data for some of the alleged attackers and were in the process of investigating and verifying the information.
He would not give any further details.
Herrmann called on Munich residents to be cautious, but at the same time not to let threats interfere with their normal lives.
More than 500 police and special unit officers from all over the southern Bavaria region were called to Munich Thursday night to help evacuate and secure the stations. By Friday noon, some 100 extra officers were still present in the city.
German Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere commended all the authorities involved for their “thoughtful, considerate and decisive” action in Munich.
“The situation in Europe and Germany continues to be serious in the new year,” de Maiziere said in a written statement. “Indeed we did get indications (for a planned attack) yesterday, which were evaluated by the Bavarian intelligence authorities and federal police.”“The situation in Europe and Germany continues to be serious in the new year,” de Maiziere said in a written statement. “Indeed we did get indications (for a planned attack) yesterday, which were evaluated by the Bavarian intelligence authorities and federal police.”
De Maiziere promised that in the future, German security officials would continue to analyze the situation thoroughly and act accordingly.
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.
Cities across Europe have been on edge since an attack in Paris in November that killed 130 people.Cities across Europe have been on edge since an attack in Paris in November that killed 130 people.
A few days after the Paris attack, a soccer stadium in Hannover in central Germany was evacuated after a threat against a friendly match between Germany and the Netherlands. The authorities never reported any findings of explosives or concrete attack plans.A few days after the Paris attack, a soccer stadium in Hannover in central Germany was evacuated after a threat against a friendly match between Germany and the Netherlands. The authorities never reported any findings of explosives or concrete attack plans.
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Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.