Austria detains 3 suspected Islamists amid security fears in Vienna, Germany and Spain

Austria on Sunday said three people were detained for suspected involvement in an “Islamist network”, as Vienna and Cologne step up police controls citing heightened security concerns during Christmas.

German police are carrying out strict controls at the entry of the cathedral in the western city of Cologne following a “danger warning” for New Year’s Eve.

Austrian police have also stepped up checks, especially around churches, religious events and Christmas markets in Vienna, citing an “increased risk”.

Austrian authorities “intervening in an Islamist network” made four arrests on Saturday, the interior ministry said on Sunday. A ministry spokesman said three of the four had been detained pending further investigations.

“There was no immediate threat of an attack in Vienna,” he said, declining to comment further.

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According to the German daily Bild, one arrest was also made in Germany.

The arrested suspects are said to be Tajiks who allegedly wanted to carry out attacks for Islamic State-Khorasan (IS-K), an IS offshoot in Afghanistan, Bild reported.

“Terrorist actors across Europe are calling for attacks on Christian events – especially around December 24th,” Vienna police said in a statement.

Sightseeing visits were barred at Germany’s landmark cathedral in Cologne and Christmas Eve worshippers faced security checks to get into midnight Mass there on Sunday.

Police in Cologne said they were taking precautions over Christmas even though the information they had was for an attack on New Year’s Eve.

Policemen stand in front of the Cologne Cathedral on Sunday following a “danger warning” for New Year’s Eve. Photo: AFP

“Even if the reference was to New Year’s Eve, there are a lot of people in the area around the cathedral, today is Christmas Eve midnight Mass, it is one of the most visited cathedrals, the main train station is nearby,” police spokesman Wolfgang Baldes said while standing in front of the cathedral.

“There are a lot of people, and that’s why we said that if there was an indication, we would do everything necessary to protect people,” Baldes added.

German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser pledged a firm response to any extremist threat.

“We all love our Christmas traditions and won’t allow ourselves to be intimidated or have our way of life hemmed in,” she told regional media group Funke.

However “we take the danger of Islamist terror very seriously and are extremely vigilant”, she said. “Our security authorities have their sights on the Islamist scene and are acting decisively as the current measures show.”

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Besides Austria and Germany, Spain also received indications that an Islamist group was planning several attacks in Europe, possibly on New Year’s Eve and Christmas, Bild said.

According to the newspaper, the targets of these attacks could be Christmas masses in Cologne, Vienna and Madrid.

In July, a cell of suspected Islamists from IS-K was dismantled in Germany and the Netherlands. Those arrested in Germany were said at the time to have been planning an attack in the country.

Additional reporting by Associated Press