Germany game against Netherlands called off over bomb fears

The worldwide match between Germany and the Netherlands has been called off by police at the Hannover stadium after a suspicous suitcase was discovered inside, it has been confirmed.

Hanover’s chief of police said on German TV that an explosive device “intended to be set-off inside the stadium” was found, Deutsche Welle reported.

Members of the German government including Chancellor Angela Merkel had not arrived, but were scheduled to attend the match to send a signal that Germany wouldn’t bow to terrorism in the wake of the deadly Paris attacks on Friday.

“The German national team tweeted that the game had been canceled, and “#DieMannschaft are under police protection and have been escorted to a safe place”.

“There is a high threat for Germany and Europe. We did not take this decision lightly, but it was in accordance with the seriousness of the intelligence”, Kluwe said.

“This is very troubling, and also symbolic of the fact that the whole of Europe faces a major terrorist threat”, says Nile Gardiner, a former researcher for British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and now director of the Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom at the Heritage Foundation.

Despite security concerns, French sports minister Patrick Kanner announced earlier Tuesday that all matches in both the topflight and second division will go ahead as planned.

“We all know what this match meant after Paris”, Reinhard Rauball, the interim president of the German Soccer Association, said.

‘Ahead of this match we got more information that made us make the decision to cancel the game.

Authorities asked spectators to go home and not stay outside the stadium in big crowds, Kluwe said. “We will have a heavy presence throughout the night and ensure the safety around the city”.

A spokesperson for Lower Saxony Minster Stephan Weil told dpa that Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere was to meet with local counterpart Boris Pistorius later Tuesday when the background details would be given at a news conference.

Germany’s top security official says a Syrian passport found with one of the Paris attackers may have been false flag meant to make Europeans fearful of refugees.

Former Holland global Ruud Gullit tweeted: ‘I am now on the stadium of #hannover for the game #germany-#holland.

He later wrote: ‘Stadium evacuated, back at hotel now’.

Although a man wearing a suicide belt was prevented from entering the Stade de France last Friday, three explosions later took place outside the ground.

DW’s Sarah Wiertz, in Hanover, has confirmed that there was no panic shown by fans who left the stadium.