Germany on Alert at Air Bases After Attack Warning

[PfcHammer]

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20040504/wl_nm/security_germany_airforce_dc_1

Germany on Alert at Air Bases After Attack Warning

Tue May 4, 8:50 AM ET Add World - Reuters to My Yahoo!

BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany has raised its security alert status at two air force bases after receiving indications of possible attacks, a defense ministry spokesman said on Tuesday.

The alert status at the fighter-bomber squadron at Buechel and the air training center at Rheine, both near Germany's western border, had risen to "Charlie," the second highest of four security levels in the German armed forces.

The spokesman declined to give any details of the possible attacks or say from where the perceived threat came. The heightened security status will apply this week and during the last week of May.

A spokesman at Buechel, where around 1,700 troops are stationed, said the threat had resulted in a security revision Friday.

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[maddezmom]

1. perhaps this 2are connected ?

Terror Suspect on Trail in Berlin

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x530445

[Kellanved]

3. unlikely

Both bases are in western Germany.
Speculation is that it is either
-a terroristic threat against one of the nearby power plants
-a planned "surprise" visit to the nearby Ramstein AFB
-a terroristic threat against the bases
-something else entirely (Kosovo/...)
-a maneuver

However the units at the two bases seem an unlikely pick for any of the rumors: one bomber wing and one flight training wing.

[ze_dscherman]

2. Nuclear weapons at Buechel

This has not even become top news in Germany. It has been reported that about 10 nuclear weapons are stored in a special bunker at Buechel.

[Kellanved]

4. yup

This is the really unsettling part: Alert level charlie has the same "from order to launch" time as the nuclear bombs at Büchel (allegedly 15 minutes to get them from storage on a jet).
It is entirely possible that they want to move the nukes to Ramstein.