German officials cancelled a soccer match in Hannover between Germany and the Netherlands when they uncovered “concrete” information that the stadium was the target of a bomb threat, USA Today reported Tuesday. The cancellation of the game two hours before kickoff came as authorities across Europe are seeking suspects connected to the terror attacks in Paris Friday night.

Talking to reporters, German Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said the decision to cancel the game was taken after a number of disparate pieces of intelligence suggested the threat was a concrete one. He did not elaborate on where the tip came from or what the precise nature of the danger was. …

“There were concrete plans to cause an explosion,” [Hannover police chief Volker] Kluwe said, according to Deutsche Welle, or DW, Germany’s state-backed international broadcaster.

No arrests were made and spectators who had arrived at the stadium ahead of the match were told to evacuate the premises. Although initial reports indicated that an explosive device was found near the stadium, later reports confirmed that this was false.

De Maizière said that there was a “high threat to Germany and Europe.”

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and other officials were scheduled to attend the match “to honor the victims of last Friday’s Paris attacks.” On Friday night, a suicide bomber had attempted to enter a soccer stadium in Paris where French President Francois Hollande was attending an exhibition match between France and Germany.

CNN reported:

Chief Volker Kluwe told NDR that authorities “had concrete intelligence that someone wanted to set off an explosive device inside the stadium.” The two tips forced officials to cancel the Netherlands-Germany match about 90 minutes before kickoff.

“We do take this intelligence seriously. That is why we proceeded with this protocol. We did not take this decision lightly, but it was in accordance with the seriousness of the intelligence,” Kluwe said. However, no explosives were found at the stadium, regional Interior Minister Boris Pistorius said at a news conference Tuesday night.

Deutsche Welle added that a nearby hockey arena was temporarily evacuated.

[Photo: wochit News / YouTube ]