Two cases of possible sabotage in the water supply network of the camp of of German armed forces in Waan near Cologne airport and then at the Geilenkirchen NATO base, also near Cologne, where American AWACS reconnaissance aircraft are stationed once again alerted German security authorities to possible sabotage, as Spiegel first reported.

At the moment, according to the information transmitted by German media since yesterday, the alert has been completely lifted at the NATO base because no problems were found in the water or elsewhere. Investigations by the authorities continue at the German air force base in Wahn, but the blockade of the barracks there has also been lifted and the collection of the first evidence has been completed.

Suspicion of a sabotage operation

However, there are suspicions of a sabotage operation, a representative of the German Ministry of Defense said last night, referring in particular to an attempted or completed illegal entry into military premises. According to the information that has come to light, as stated in a detailed report on the website tagesschau.dethe crack in a fence leading to an aqueduct was what initially raised suspicions of sabotage.

Quality controls then on the drinking water showed abnormal values. The German military base in Waan, which is of critical importance because it houses important services of the German armed forces and the air readiness service of the German air force, was closed for several hours yesterday, but the authorities’ efforts to locate the suspects were unsuccessful. 4,300 German soldiers and over 1,000 employees live there.

Revision of the national security plan

At the moment, according to the same German network, the overall situation is being assessed through material collected from the security cameras, and the possibility that there was an initial plan to sabotage the two military bases simultaneously, even if it did not succeed, is also being examined.

However, the German armed forces assess the incident in Cologne as “very serious”. In addition to the police, the case is also being investigated by the State Security Service and the Military Counterintelligence Service.

Defense Minister Boris Pistorius was also assigned to the case. “We reacted quickly at both points, blocked access, increased controls, investigative authorities began investigations and laboratory tests began. The incidents show that we must continue to be vigilant,” said Boris Pistorius, calling at the same time for a review of state security plans.