Brussels Cancels New Year’s Fireworks Amid Terror Fear

Federal agents arrested Lutchman on Wednesday.

Brussels and Paris have scrapped their fireworks displays entirely, while much of Europe will welcome 2016 in a subdued fashion.

“They are suspected of being affiliated with Islamic State and were planning an attack on the new year in Ankara”, a Turkish official told Agence France-Presse.

He was detained after a house in the city’s Molenbeek suburb was raided on Wednesday.

In France, authorities were also clearly preparing for a possible worst-case scenario on New Year’s. In Istanbul, increased security will take an unusual form: police officers plan to go undercover in outfits from Santa Claus to pretzel vendors, as the BBC reported.

Vienna police said Saturday that it had received a warning from an unnamed, “friendly” intelligence service that terrorist attacks were possible in the days between Christmas and New Year’s Eve in multiple European cities, but did not name which had been mentioned.

German police have warned residents in Munich to avoid crowds and train stations amid fears of a terrorist attack.

“Of course we’re scared”, she said.

Authorities in Russian Federation and China announced that high-profile gathering places – including Moscow’s Red Square – would be closed for the evening.

The Met confirmed New Year’s Eve was one of two events – along with Notting Hill Carnival – in which there was no holiday entitlement, meaning all available staff were called upon.

The Islamic State group on Thursday claimed responsibility for the bombing of two restaurants in a predominantly Kurdish city in northeastern Syria the previous night, an attack that killed at least 16 people and wounded 35.

In New York, security on Thursday was expected to be at its highest levels since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. In New York City, about 6,000 police officers will be deployed-between 600 and 800 more than usual for New Year festivities-according to the police commissioner.

Six have been held over a New Year’s Eve terror plot in Brussels.

“We are ready”, Mayor Bill de Blasio told a news conference on Tuesday.

In addition to helicopter surveillance, traffic officers and canine units, officers would be sweeping NY sites with chemical and radiation detectors.

“New Year’s Eve is a major celebration in the diary and the Met has been working with colleagues to ensure celebrations run smoothly and the event is safe and enjoyable for everyone who attends”, said Supt Jo Edwards a Metropolitan police spokeswoman. Crowds thronged to vantage points to see the displays which generally draws one million people, during the chimes of midnight moving across Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Europe and finally the Americas.

“I hope that everyone in the capital has a safe and enjoyable New Year’s Eve”.