Drone danger ignites alarm at NATO base


(MENAFN) A heightened security alert at a NATO reconnaissance plane base in Germany last Friday was prompted by a potential drone threat, according to a Reuters report released on Monday. This report challenges earlier claims by German media suggesting the alert was raised due to a tip-off about a possible act of sabotage by Russia.

The Geilenkirchen air base, located near the German-Dutch border and housing the alliance’s AWACS (Airborne Early Warning and Control Systems) force, was placed on the second highest security level for most of the day. This level, known as ‘Charlie’, signifies that a terrorist attack is considered “highly likely.” The base had initially reported that the heightened security was due to intelligence indicating a potential threat.

However, the German Press Agency (dpa) cited sources indicating that a foreign intelligence service had warned of a possible act of sabotage by Russia involving a drone. Despite these claims, Reuters’ security sources reported that no unmanned aerial vehicles had been detected and that there was no confirmed evidence linking the threat to Russia.

A NATO spokesperson at the base clarified that the threat was associated with drones, and there was no mention of Russia in the security discussions. The German government press office, the Interior Ministry, and the Russian embassy in Berlin have not yet responded to requests for comment on the alleged Russian threat.

The confusion surrounding the nature of the threat underscores the complexities of security operations and the challenges in accurately interpreting intelligence in high-stakes environments.

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