The Black Vault - Security Increased at British Consulate in Hamburg as Police Investigate Threat

HAMBURG, Germany (AP) - Police have stepped up security at the British consulate while investigating reports of planned attack against the facility in this north German town, which has become linked to a wider international terrorism ring.

By David Rising Associated Press Writer

Published: Sep 30, 2001

A German security source in Hamburg, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Sunday it is not believed that the alleged plan was related to the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States, and investigators are still trying to determine if it may have been a hoax.

"There is an investigation but we really don't know how serious it will be," the source said.

Meanwhile in Paris, the Eiffel Tower was briefly evacuated Sunday after someone called in a bomb threat that turned out to be false, French police said.

The area around the tower was shut down for an hour and 1,800 visitors were forced to evacuate while authorities investigated. Nothing suspicious was found. On Saturday, Orly airport outside Paris and the Montpellier airport in southern France were shut down briefly because of false bomb threats.

Warning of the possible attack against the British consulate in Hamburg came from an inmate who said he transported packages that may have been explosives to be used against the consulate, the source said.

Hamburg State Investigators said six Arabs were initially under investigation but the case was later dropped, due to questions of credibility in witness testimony.

The British Foreign Office said it was notified by German authorities on Thursday.

"It was a credible threat," a Foreign Office official in London said.

She refused to provide any other details about the threat, but said that German authorities acted swiftly to step up security around the consulate. Security around the building remains high, but there were no plans to shut the consulate, she said.

Investigations into the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon have centered on Hamburg, where U.S. authorities believe a cell of Osama bin Laden's al-Qaida network was operating.

AP-ES-09-30-01 1501EDT