German Police Seal Off Air Base Amid Rising Sabotage Concerns

Thursday, August 15, 2024  Read time2 min

SAEDNEWS: German police temporarily sealed off an air base near Cologne as they investigated a suspected case of sabotage, authorities said, amid fears that the facility’s water supply had been contaminated.

German Police Seal Off Air Base Amid Rising Sabotage Concerns

According to SAEDNEWS, The operation at the Cologne-Wahn military base, a critical hub for Western allies' support of Ukraine, comes amid rising concerns in European capitals about potential Russian acts across the continent. As reported by the Financial Times, there is mounting anxiety that Russia is committing to a long-term conflict with the West, sparking fears of escalating aggression.

Intelligence agencies have suggested that Russia has begun preparations for covert operations, including bombings, arson attacks, and sabotage of infrastructure in Europe, whether directly or through affiliated proxies.

Colonel Arne Collatz, a spokesperson for the defense ministry, confirmed that an intruder is suspected of unlawfully entering the Cologne-Wahn barracks and committing acts of sabotage. In response, the Bundeswehr, Germany's armed forces, dispatched counter-intelligence investigators and personnel from the State Protection Office, which focuses on politically motivated crimes, to the air base to investigate the incident. The base was later reopened on Wednesday.

Authorities noted that a hole had been found in the fence surrounding the base, specifically near its drinking water unit. The Bundeswehr stated, "As it could not be excluded that the perpetrator was still on the premises of the barracks, it was temporarily closed," adding that drinking water supplies were shut off from its network pending test results.

Collatz emphasized that “the safety of barracks has absolute priority at the moment and everyone is very alert to possible gaps [in security] that might arise.”

In addition to the events at Cologne-Wahn, there was another incident at a NATO air base in Geilenkirchen, near the Dutch border. A spokesperson for NATO reported that an unauthorized individual attempted to gain access to the base but was stopped by security personnel. The security level at that facility was heightened but was not completely sealed off; by Wednesday afternoon, protocols had returned to normal.

NATO indicated that they do not believe this incident is connected to the suspected sabotage at Cologne-Wahn. The Bundeswehr's territorial leadership command issued a statement expressing well wishes for the speedy recovery of any armed forces members who were affected during the incident, although they did not disclose the number of individuals involved or additional details.

According to news magazine Der Spiegel, the Cologne-Wahn military air base, located southeast of Cologne—the largest city in North Rhine-Westphalia—plays a significant role in providing military support for Kyiv, with Ukrainian soldiers receiving training in Germany before returning home from this facility.


Latest news  
A Look at China’s Ingenious Urban Engineering: How an 8-Kilometer Spiral Bridge Solved Shanghai’s Traffic Woes NASA Encounters the Unexpected: Atlas Interstellar Object Challenges the Laws of Physics! When Chinese Robots Replace Humans: From Guide Robots for the Blind to Flawless Driving on the Streets (Video) A Glimpse at the Most Beautiful and Rare Relic of the Achaemenid Era: Darius the Great’s Unmatched Golden Staff, a Shining Gem of Iranian Art and Splendor! Unveiling a Multi-Thousand-Year-Old Ancient Cemetery of Iranian Lovers in a Picturesque Yazd Village – Heart-Shaped Tombs Revealed + Photos Rezaei: America Is Untrustworthy; Decisions Must Be Based on Dignity, Wisdom, and Expediency Mr. President, Are You Spinning in Circles Instead of Solving Problems? Trump and Zelensky Clash Escalates / Trump Goes Back on His Word… Missiles or No Missiles! A 2,000-Year-Old Mummy with All Internal Organs Intact—Truly Incredible! + Photos Amazing Discovery: 2 Precious Historical Gold Figurines with Incredible Antiquity – A 2,000-Year-Old Achaemenid Relic + Photos The Most Beautiful Creature in the World with Its Heart in Its Head – And Look at Its Unique Color! + Photo Hitler’s Massive and Magnificent Treasure Still Buried Underground [+Photos] Saddam Hussein at His Brother’s Wedding 40 Years Ago – What a Ridiculous Outfit! 120-Year-Old Ancient Tree Uprooted by Reza Pahlavi’s Cruel Decree + Photo Araghchi Ahead of the Expiration of Resolution 2231: Iran’s Sovereign Rights Are the Red Line in Negotiations