Was it an act of terror?

Major alarm: Explosion shakes Cologne city center

Symbolic image(Bild: studio v-zwoelf)

In the German city of Cologne, an explosion occurred early on Monday morning in the middle of the "Ringen" party mile. The police are currently carrying out a major operation. The explosion reduced the closed nightclub to rubble.

A devastating explosion occurred in front of the "Vanity Club" in Cologne early on Monday morning. Surveillance cameras of the club show that a person wearing a hoodie had placed a package in front of the entrance shortly beforehand. Moments later, the bomb detonated.

Windows shattered and doors were torn off their hinges. A 54-year-old cleaner, who was taking the garbage outside, suffered a blast trauma and was treated in hospital. The police cordoned off the area between Rudolfplatz and Ehrenstraße while the search for the suspect, who was captured on video cameras, was in full swing on Monday evening.

Explosive device detonated?
Investigators are looking into whether the attack is another act by the "Mocro Mafia", which originates from the Netherlands. At the very least, the attack is very reminiscent of similar explosions in Cologne, Duisburg and Solingen in recent weeks.