German police arrest three more over alleged plot to attack Cologne Cathedral

(Patria) - Police have arrested three more suspects in an alleged plot to attack Germany's famous
Cologne Cathedral on New Year's Eve, authorities said, Reuters reported.

The alleged attackers planned to use a car to attack the 800-year-old Gothic structure on the Rhine River, Cologne Police Chief Frank Wissbaum said.
The method of the planned attack was unclear, but the underground parking garage beneath the cathedral was searched overnight with explosive detection dogs, he told reporters. "Three people are now safely in custody, which we are very pleased about because they can no longer communicate with each other," he said.

Wissbaum said investigators late on Saturday found evidence linking the three to a 30-year-old Tajik man with alleged ties to the Islamic State movement, who has been in custody since December 24. Federal authorities have continued to investigate what he called a "network of individuals" from Central Asia with ties to several German states and European countries.

No details were given about the identity or origin of the people now in custody. The suspects were apprehended in the western cities of Duisburg, Herne, and Noervenich, police said, and communication devices were seized during searches of their apartments.

Security has been increased in and around the cathedral ahead of the New Year's Eve service. Police have warned the public not to worry if they see officers carrying machine guns and bulletproof vests. Thousands of additional police are also patrolling in Berlin, where celebrations were overshadowed by clashes last year. Police in the capital are also on alert after a banned pro-Palestinian solidarity demonstration was scheduled for midnight. Many Muslims in Germany are dissatisfied with the support shown to Tel Aviv in its war against Hamas.