Germany: 124 high-risk Islamists released

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IThere are currently 124 Islamists at large in Germany who, according to the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA), represent a “high risk”. That shows the response of the federal government to a written question from the Green parliamentary group. It is exclusively available for WELT.

The basis of the classification is the “Radar iTE” instrument, which authorities have developed in recent years to better assess Islamists. 151 people are also on the “moderate risk” list.

The 124 high-risk Islamists are divided into 97 alleged threats and 27 designated extremists as relevant persons. The police trust those at risk of politically motivated crimes, including attacks, of considerable importance.

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Relevant are people who take a leadership role within the extremist terrorist spectrum or act as supporters.

After the deadly knife attack in Dresden in October, the debate over the surveillance possibilities of dangerous Islamists had gained momentum.

The alleged perpetrator is Syrian and was classified as a threat only five days before the attack was released from prison. Although the authorities wanted to keep an eye on him, he was initially able to act without being detected.

Interior Minister Horst Seehofer (CSU) announced a renewed review of the extent to which deportations to Syria might be possible.

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Fundamentalist threats

According to their own statements, the federal government is aware of 240 – not in custody – threats that the authorities have registered at the national level. 135 of these people have German citizenship, one third of them from another state.

Among the 240 threats are 41 Syrians, 17 Russians, seven Iraqis, seven Turks and people from nearly 20 other countries. The nationality of seven threats is officially “confused”; three others are stateless.

Some Islamists have been prevented from leaving Germany in recent years. Background: Authorities may prohibit departure if there are specific indications of planned support for a terrorist group abroad.

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“As far as the Federal Government is aware, there are currently valid exit bans for 24 people who pose a risk and 13 relevant people,” said the Federal Government’s response. Especially with Islamists who want to travel to a “jihad zone”, there is a “higher potential risk”.

In its response, the Federal Government also states that it has no knowledge of how many of the dangerous and relevant persons have a gun license. This is the responsibility of the state authorities.

Green politicians criticize the federal government

Irene Mihalic, spokeswoman for internal politics of the parliamentary group of the Greens, criticizes: “It simply cannot be that the federal government does not have knowledge of the degree of arms of the people in danger and refers succinctly to the states.

The federal government must pool the knowledge of the states. After all, the terrorists were not interested in the borders of the federal states and deliberately exploited state negligence.

Mihalic’s party colleague Konstantin von Notz, leader of the vice parliamentary group, is also calling for changes. A policy that reduces the handling of endangered parties to the slogan “deportations” would completely fail in terms of security policy.

What is urgently needed are “viable concepts for the relevant group of currently incarcerated threats whose release is imminent.” The following should be clarified as soon as possible: “Who should be closely monitored, what conditions are possible and necessary, how do individual federal states agree, and what role does the federal government play in this?”