Germany's Merkel says terror threat 'real'

Speaking at the Reichstag parliament building, chancellor says while there is reason to be worried, there is no reason to be hysterical.

By ASSOCIATED PRESS
Angela Merkel 311 (photo credit: Associated Press)
Angela Merkel 311
(photo credit: Associated Press)
BERLIN — German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday said that the terrorist threat facing her country is real, but also called on people to remain calm.
Speaking to lawmakers at the Reichstag parliament building, Merkel said that while there is reason to worry, "there's no reason for hysteria."
RELATED:Merkel urges calm after German terror warningBin Laden warns France in newly released recordingGermany raises security level over terror threat 
The parliament building was closed down to visitors earlier this week over concerns of a possible terrorist attack.
The move came after Der Spiegel magazine reported on the weekend, without citing sources, that an informer claimed to German authorities that al-Qaida planned a possible attack early next year on the parliament building in downtown Berlin.
Germans have been on edge since Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere raised the county's terrorist threat level last week.
De Maiziere said Germany believes there is an increased threat from Islamic extremists and that intelligence agencies had information about a suspected attack planned for the end of November.