BERLIN (AP) — The security level at a NATO air base in western Germany was raised temporarily because of intelligence information pointing to a “potential threat,” but was reduced again on Friday, the alliance said.
An announcement late Thursday night of the increase in the security level at the Geilenkirchen base didn’t elaborate on the nature of the potential threat, but said that all staff not essential to missions had been sent home as a precaution.
The Geilenkirchen air base, near the border with the Netherlands, is where the alliance’s Airborne Warning and Control System, or AWACS, surveillance aircraft are stationed.
On Friday afternoon, a post on the NATO AWACS fleet’s X account said that the security level had returned to its previous level.
German news agency dpa said that a reporter saw police cars on and around the grounds of the air base.
Last week, a major German air force base near Cologne was locked down for several hours amid fears that its water supply might have been tampered with.
The incidents come at a time of jitters about the possible vulnerability of infrastructure to attempted Russian sabotage.
German media reported that drones had been spotted over a chemical park in Brunsbuettel, on the North Sea coast.
BERLIN (AP) — Due to intelligence reports indicating a “potential threat,” the security level at a NATO air base in western Germany was temporarily increased. However, the alliance reported that it had decreased security once more on Friday.
The nature of the possible threat was not specified in an announcement made late on Thursday night about the base’s increased security, but it did state that all staff members who weren’t mission-critical had been sent home as a precaution. It stated that everything went according to plan.
The alliance’s Airborne Warning and Control System, or AWACS, surveillance aircraft are based at the Geilenkirchen air base, which is close to the Dutch border.
A post on the X account of the NATO AWACS fleet on Friday afternoon stated that the security level had gone back to what it was. It declared that the brief increase was “a precautionary measure.”. “.
It continued, “All scheduled operations are proceeding as planned.”.
A reporter reported seeing police cars on and around the air base’s grounds, according to the German news agency dpa. Police did not provide any information when they confirmed the deployment on Thursday night.
A major German air force base close to Cologne was placed under lockdown for a few hours last week due to concerns that someone may have tampered with its water supply. No proof of this kind of sabotage was discovered during the inquiry. Additionally, dpa reported at the time that there were reports of suspicious observations at Geilenkirchen and that someone had been briefly detained for questioning close to the base; however, nothing suspicious was found.
The incidents occur at a time when fears are high that Russian sabotage attempts could target infrastructure.
Prosecutors in Flensburg, in the far north of Germany, announced on Thursday that they were looking into possible sabotage-related espionage, but they did not elaborate on the potential perpetrator. The North Sea coast town of Brunsbuettel has a chemical park, and German media reported seeing drones over it.
