Danger of terrorism - CDU politician: Government puts shackles on security authorities
In view of the growing threat of Islamist terrorism, CDU interior politician Christoph de Vries has accused the government of doing too little to prevent attacks. "We see that the threat from outside and within is increasing more and more and at the same time the courts and the traffic light coalition are putting more and more shackles on the security authorities," the member of the Bundestag's Committee on Internal Affairs told the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung. "That can't work in the long term."
De Vries finds it problematic that Internet providers in Germany are not even legally required to store computer addresses for a certain period of time. He calls for a minimum storage period for these IP addresses. "The danger is not the services, but the extremists. We must finally realize that."
In a decision published in September, the Federal Administrative Court ruled that data retention is contrary to European law, i.e. the blanket storage of traffic and location data from telecommunications without cause and virtually on reserve. However, the court also stated that IP addresses may be stored to combat serious crime and prevent serious threats to public security - but this is not clearly defined in the Telecommunications Act. Justice Minister Marco Buschmann (FDP) and Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) have been at loggerheads for months over the issue of data storage.
At the latest since the heated atmosphere following the terrorist attack on Israel by the Islamist Hamas and Israel's counter-offensive in the Gaza Strip, the threat of terrorism has also increased again in Germany. Recently, several suspects have been arrested in Germany who may have been planning attacks, for example on Christmas markets or Jewish institutions.
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- Despite the escalating terror threat in Berlin, the traffic light coalition and the courts are reportedly placing more restrictions on Germany's security authorities, according to CDU politician Christoph de Vries.
- De Vries, a member of the Bundestag's Committee on Internal Affairs, is critical of the lack of legal requirements for Internet providers to retain IP addresses in Germany, arguing that this undermines efforts to prevent terrorism.
- In September, the Federal Administrative Court ruled that blanket data retention was against European law, but acknowledged that IP addresses could be stored to combat serious crime and prevent serious threats to public security.
- The controversy over data storage has led to a long-standing dispute between Justice Minister Marco Buschmann (FDP) and Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD).
- The growing threat of Islamist terrorism has been highlighted by several arrests in Germany of suspected terrorists planning attacks, including potential strikes on Christmas markets and Jewish institutions.
- The increased terror threat in Germany follows the tense atmosphere following the Hamas-Israel conflict, with Israel's counter-offensive in the Gaza Strip.
Source: www.stern.de
