Report on attack plan - Do German intelligence services need moreauthorities?
Facing alleged Russian plans against Rheinmetall's CEO, the call for more Authorities for German security agencies is growing louder. Such demands were made by Saxony's Interior Minister Armin Schuster (CDU). Green faction vice chair Konstantin von Notz told the German Press Agency: "The situation is serious enough that we shouldn't be making party-political soups about it." The plot against the Rheinmetall CEO is reportedly uncovered by American intelligence services according to CNN.
Schuster told the "Bild" newspaper: "I have major problems with the fact that we constantly need information from abroad." At the foreign security agencies, "they have the tools to gain these insights, which I can't find political majorities for in Germany."
Interior Minister: We must face the situation
NRW Interior Minister Herbert Reul (CDU) told the "Bild" newspaper that police and thus security can only be good if they have information. "We must face the situation, early information is the core of the whole business. Information that is interesting is no longer to be found on the street or in the pub, but on the net. So we need competencies."
Although Western intelligence services generally generate many leads in collaboration, as the former high-ranking employee of the Federal Intelligence Service (BND) and today's security expert Gerhard Conrad explained in the ARD "Tagesthemen". However, it is also true that "German services are much more restrictively regulated in the field of data collection, in telecommunications surveillance and other areas". They should not, unlike other services, especially the USA. "One must consider whether these goods of balance, which were made in the past, are still valid today," he added.
Schuster: Risky to rely solely on foreign intelligence
From Schuster's and the Union's perspective: the data retention, i.e. the storage of location and traffic data of telecommunications without a specific reason, in order to have them ready for anti-terror investigations; the so-called source telecommunications surveillance (source-TKÜ), which intervenes before or after encryption, as well as online searches are needed. The Minister said: "These are the methods that allow the Americans to give us valuable information. But if we can't do it - I consider that risky, constantly relying on insights from abroad." Data retention has been a subject of controversy for a long time.
Report: Plans discovered
According to CNN, US intelligence services discovered plans of the Russian government to assassinate Rheinmetall's CEO, Armin Papperger, at the beginning of the year. The German side was then informed, and the 61-year-old was reportedly given special protection. Rheinmetall is one of the largest European suppliers of tank technology and artillery shells for the Ukraine. In June, the company opened a repair workshop for armored vehicles in western Ukraine. Plans also exist for the production of new tanks.
The Kremlin denied the alleged assassination plans. Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) said: "We do not comment on individual threat situations." But it is clear: We take the significantly increased threat from Russian aggression very seriously."
Green: Working on reforms
The Greens are working on reforms.
Green faction vice-chair Notz stated, good cooperations with partner services, faster data and information exchange are existentially important for the work of the German intelligence services. "The investigation successes of the last months show that a lot is functioning well. Moreover, we are currently working on a comprehensive reform of the law of intelligence services."
The generalization that there are stricter restrictions in Germany than in other rule-of-law states is misleading, according to Notz. "It is indeed true that a country like the USA spends vastly more money in this field than Germany. Therefore, we are calling for a special fund for internal and external security," said the Green politician. "I can only call on my colleague Schuster, it would be good if Saxony also took correspondingly more money into its own hands for the area of the state office."
- Armin Schuster, the Interior Minister of Saxony, emphasized the need for stronger authorities in German security agencies due to alleged Russian plans against Rheinmetall.
- Schuster criticized the constant reliance on foreign intelligence agencies for crucial information, highlighting their superior capabilities in data collection.
- Herbert Reul, the Interior Minister of North Rhine-Westphalia, echoed Schuster's sentiments, stressing the importance of information for effective police work.
- Gerhard Conrad, a former high-ranking member of the Federal Intelligence Service and current security expert, acknowledged the collaborative efforts between Western intelligence services but highlighted Germany's more restrictive regulations in data collection.
- Schuster advocated for data retention, source telecommunications surveillance, and online searches to enable data exchange with foreign agencies, deeming reliance on foreign intelligence too risky.
- According to CNN, US intelligence services uncovered plans by the Russian government to assassinate Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger at the beginning of the year.
- The Kremlin denied the allegations, and Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser remained silent on specific threat situations, acknowledging the increased threat from Russian aggression.
- Konstantin von Notz, the Green faction vice-chair, emphasized the importance of good cooperations and fast data and information exchange for the work of German intelligence services.
- The Greens are currently working on a comprehensive reform of the law of intelligence services, aiming to improve their effectiveness and capabilities.
- Notz disputed the generalization of stricter regulations in Germany compared to other rule-of-law states, calling for a special fund for internal and external security.
- Schuster was urged to allocate more resources to Saxony for security-related matters, as urged by the Green politician.
- The intrusion of foreign powers into German affairs was a topic of concern for many, with calls for increased domestic capabilities in intelligence gathering to reduce dependency on foreign agencies.
- The conflicts and criminality related to the armament industry and geopolitical tensions served as a backdrop to these discussions, reinforcing the need for robust and independent intelligence services in Germany.
