Authorities across Germany, Austria, and Spain are implementing strict security measures for Christmas and New Year amid security threats from Jihadist groups.
In Germany, police searched the 13th-century Cologne Cathedral with sniffer dogs on Saturday and announced that people who attend church for the Christmas Eve Mass would be subject to security screening before being allowed inside. The police also recommended that people avoid bringing bags and come to Mass early. German police said that security measures were being taken after receiving indicators of a potential attack planned for New Year’s Eve, according to Reuters.
