Suspicious package at Angela Merkel's office

Police sealed off German Chancellor Angela Merkel's office today to investigate a suspicious package, as ministers gathered for a cabinet meeting in the same building, reports the news agency Patria.

"We are investigating a suspicious package," a spokesman for the German Federal Police told Reuters, adding that police expect specialists to arrive to examine the package.

A witness for the British agency states that there are four yellow postal packages in the sealed zone, which were left in front of the entrance.

Ministers continued with their regular meeting after police cordoned off the area where the office is located in the center of Berlin, the witness added.

In 2010, police intercepted a package containing explosives that was sent to Merkel's office from Greece.

Europe entered 2016 in a state of heightened alert, seven weeks after Islamist extremists killed 130 people in shootings and suicide bombings across Paris.

Today's incident followed a tip received by police during New Year's celebrations that extremists from Iraq and Syria were planning attacks on Munich, the British agency recalls.