Munich police remain on alert following New Year Eve threat

German special police stand in front of the Munich, southern Germany, main train station Thursday evening, Dec. 31, 2015 after police warned of 'imminent threat' of terror attack and ordered two train stations to be cleared. AP

German special police stand in front of the Munich, southern Germany, main train station Thursday evening, Dec. 31, 2015 after police warned of ‘imminent threat’ of terror attack and ordered two train stations to be cleared. AP

BERLIN — Police in the German city of Munich are maintaining a heightened presence following warnings of a planned attack on New Year’s Eve.

Two Munich train stations were evacuated late Thursday after German authorities received information from foreign intelligence agencies that five to seven Islamic State militants were planning coordinated attacks in the city.

A German security official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he wasn’t authorized to divulge the information publicly, said the key tip came from French authorities shortly before 8 p.m. (1900 GMT) local time.

Munich police spokesman Sven Mueller said descriptions of the alleged attackers included several “common Arab names” but that they could be false.

He said up to 200 additional officers are patrolling the streets Saturday to spot any suspicious activity and reassure the population. TVJ

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