Terrorism - Behrens: Number of dangerous individuals has fallen since 2018
Following the detention of a 20-year-old on suspicion of a planned terrorist attack, Lower Saxony's Interior Minister Daniela Behrens has emphasized that the fight against Islamist terrorism is a high priority. The SPD politician told the German Press Agency on Friday that the number of people classified as so-called "Gefährder" had fallen continuously since 2018. "However, current events in the Middle East, in particular the terrorist attacks by Hamas against Israel, have led to a complex and tense threat situation in Germany." The police in Lower Saxony have therefore stepped up measures to counter potential threats.
According to the Ministry of the Interior, there is currently a mid-double-digit number of people in Lower Saxony who are listed as a threat in the area of politically motivated crime. Threats are people who the authorities believe are capable of committing the most serious politically motivated crimes, including attacks.
The 20-year-old was arrested in Helmstedt on November 21 on suspicion of planning a terrorist attack. Investigators consider the Christmas market in Hanover to be a possible target. The suspect is in police custody.
Interior Minister Behrens went on to say that although there are currently no indications of a specific threat to Christmas markets in Lower Saxony, the current security situation is also having an impact on them. "However, the people of Lower Saxony can rest assured that the security authorities are doing everything in their power to secure Christmas markets and other events," said Behrens. Anyone visiting a Christmas market should not be filled with fear. In the end, this would only be confirmation for terrorists that their "strategy of terror" was working.
Lesen Sie auch:
- More than 150 flights canceled at Munich Airport
- Burglar tried to break into police officer's house
- Pakistan joins ship recycling agreement
- Hamburg Airport joins Airbus hydrogen network
- Unanimous decision: faster wolf culls possible
Source: www.stern.de
