Due to the recent terrorist attack in Paris, nearby country Germany also developed fears of being attacked. The football match against Holland and Germany was unexpectedly cancelled right after the tip-off by French police who feared that jihadists might launch a similar attack like the one that happened in Paris, France last week.
The police force said, they had no choice but to stop the match as they had “concrete information” that there might be a bomb that go off in the stadium.
Germany was supposed to face Holland in an international friendly game at the HDI Arena in Hanover but to the disappointment of the fans, they had to vacate the area for security purposes.
There were reports that a North African terror group was planning to send over members with suicide vests and assault rifles.
Prior for the tipoff, Police already inspected a suspicious suitcase from the vicinity of Hanover, forcing them to close the roads leading to the venue. Another suspicious device was also found in a train station close to the stadium, according to various reports.
An unverified report also had it that an ambulance filled with explosives was found just right outside the stadium. Originally, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, along with her cabinet members were supposed to attend the said friendly match.
It was announced to the fans to leave the 45,000-seater venue in northern Germany as calmly as possible, and that there was no concrete danger to avoid panic. Police insisted they are just doing precautionary measures to avoid a repeat of last week’s tragedy in Paris.
A number of fans were still waiting outside the venue when the evacuation order was given.
A concert venue, also in the same city, was also evacuated for security purposes.
German newspaper Bild wrote that French Intelligence officials warned their German counterparts about a possible attack before the match since a lot of people would be in the venue.
According to earlier reports, German police already detonated a suspicious-looking package at the train station before the train operations were restored.
Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said, “The friendly match in the northern city was cancelled after German authorities received reports that there might be a planned attack at the stadium.
“There is a general threat. Regularly, we receive information about threats against Germany, especially after an attack like in Paris.”
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