BERLIN: A German military base next to Cologne airport has been sealed off and thousands of soldiers working there advised not to drink tap water as authorities investigate what may be an act of sabotage, a security source said on Wednesday.
The water on the base, which has 4,300 soldiers and 1,200 civilian employees, may have been contaminated after someone forced their way into the premises, the source added, confirming a report by Spiegel magazine.
The advice not to drink tap water was taken as a precautionary measure while police, military police and the military intelligence agency were investigating suspected sabotage against the German forces, the source said.
The base in Cologne-Wahn is home to the fleet of military aircraft used for travel by Chancellor Olaf Scholz and his ministers.
A spokesperson for the Territorial Command in Berlin confirmed that the base had been sealed off, but declined to elaborate. “We have our reasons for taking this action, and we take the case seriously,” he said.
The military intelligence agency was not immediately available for comment. Police in Cologne said they could not comment.
NATO has previously warned of a campaign of hostile activities staged by Moscow, including acts of sabotage and cyberattacks, but there was no indication of who might have gained illegal access to the Cologne base.
In June, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said the Western military alliance saw a pattern evolving and that recent attacks were a result of Russian intelligence becoming more active.
Several countries such as Poland, Germany, Britain and the Czech Republic have reported incidents in the past months.
The water on the base, which has 4,300 soldiers and 1,200 civilian employees, may have been contaminated after someone forced their way into the premises, the source added, confirming a report by Spiegel magazine.
The advice not to drink tap water was taken as a precautionary measure while police, military police and the military intelligence agency were investigating suspected sabotage against the German forces, the source said.
The base in Cologne-Wahn is home to the fleet of military aircraft used for travel by Chancellor Olaf Scholz and his ministers.
A spokesperson for the Territorial Command in Berlin confirmed that the base had been sealed off, but declined to elaborate. “We have our reasons for taking this action, and we take the case seriously,” he said.
The military intelligence agency was not immediately available for comment. Police in Cologne said they could not comment.
NATO has previously warned of a campaign of hostile activities staged by Moscow, including acts of sabotage and cyberattacks, but there was no indication of who might have gained illegal access to the Cologne base.
In June, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said the Western military alliance saw a pattern evolving and that recent attacks were a result of Russian intelligence becoming more active.
Several countries such as Poland, Germany, Britain and the Czech Republic have reported incidents in the past months.
Source : Times of India
