Due to a threat of attack, Bielefeld’s main train station was cordoned off and searched by a large contingent of emergency services. At around half past three on the afternoon of Christmas Day, an unidentified caller contacted the Bielefeld control center “with a male voice” and threatened to endanger people at the train station with an unspecified action “within the next ten minutes,” said the Police with. According to initial information, the emergency services initially found no evidence of a specific threat. Various media had previously reported on the operation.
A police spokeswoman explained that the decision was made together with the federal police immediately after the call to close the station building and the station forecourt. Travelers were no longer in the area affected by the threat in a short time. The police are on site with a large number of strong forces and also with sniffer dogs, but based on the current status they can probably complete the search measures in a timely manner. The interrupted train service is expected to resume in the evening.
A railway spokeswoman said that as of 6:30 p.m., long-distance traffic between Hanover and Hamm via Osnabrück was being redirected due to the search. The trains initially did not stop in Herford, Gütersloh and Bielefeld. Travelers would have to expect a delay of at least an hour on their journey.
