BERLIN — Intelligence findings indicating potential Russian sabotage using a drone led to the temporary elevation of the security level at the NATO air base in Geilenkirchen near the city of Aachen last week, German security sources told dpa on Monday.
There had been a serious tip-off from a foreign intelligence service "about preparatory actions for a likely Russian sabotage act against the NATO base using a drone," security sources told dpa.
Last Thursday, due to a potential threat at the NATO base in the western state of North Rhine Westphalia, the security alert level was raised to the second-highest level, Charlie, for nearly 24 hours.
After nothing happened, security measures were rolled back on Friday afternoon to the level that had previously applied, the so-called Level Bravo+. This was a precautionary measure to minimize the potential risk to personnel, explained a spokesman.
Due to the intelligence tip-off, all non-essential staff had been sent home. According to the spokesman, flight operations were not interrupted but continued as normal.
The second-highest security level, Charlie, means in NATO jargon that an incident has occurred or there is information that some form of terrorist action against the alliance is likely.
Special aircraft are stationed in Geilenkirchen, currently used primarily for monitoring airspace in the eastern alliance area. With their mushroom-shaped radar setup, they can locate and identify other aircraft more than 400 kilometres away.
About 1,600 people work at the NATO air base located along the German border with the Netherlands and close to Belgium, according to the spokesman.
Already in July, there was increased readiness at US military bases in Germany and other European countries due to terrorism threats, according to media reports.
At NATO headquarters in Brussels last week, as well as at the Geilenkirchen air base, there was no open discussion about the danger that might have threatened the air base. A base spokesman dismissed speculations about drone overflights as "absurd."
"Nothing flew over here," he said.
Recently, sabotage cases were also feared at several sites belonging to the German Armed Forces, or Bundeswehr. After inspection, the all-clear was given.
Police and state security investigated a security incident at the waterworks of the Cologne-Wahn air base on suspicion that the drinking water might have been contaminated.
Suspicious observations were also made in Geilenkirchen. According to security sources, someone was temporarily detained near the airport for questioning, but the suspicion relating to that person was not substantiated.
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