Scholz aims to expel severe offenders.

Official announcement from the authorities. - Scholz aims to expel severe offenders.

After the lethal knife assault in Mannheim, Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz is considering permitting the dismissal of severe criminals to Afghanistan and Syria once more. Scholz spoke of deporting such people, regardless of their origin. "Severe criminals and terrorist dangers have not lost any relevance here," he mentioned in the Bundestag. However, he didn't elaborate on the specific methods to achieve this. The Federal Interior Ministry is in conversation with neighboring countries of Afghanistan and is taking active steps towards practical execution.

The Chancellor expressed zero tolerance for praising and celebrating acts of terror. "To that end, we will refine our expulsion regulations in such a way that there is a serious reason for expulsion from the formation of terror crimes," he said. "Those who glorify terrorism are a threat to our values, and must be deported."

Another consequence of the knife attack is the prospect of a more stringent criminal law. According to Scholz, anyone who attacks those who care or rescue lives, or lures them into traps, should be subjected to harsh legal consequences. Moreover, he emphasized the need to establish weapon and knife ban zones.

Last Friday, an Afghan man assaulted members of the Islam-critical movement Pax Europa and a police officer with a knife in Mannheim. The cop later succumbed to his injuries. This led to a debate on reconsidering the deportation prohibition to Afghanistan.

As the Taliban seized power in Kabul in August 2021, Germany had halted deportations to Afghanistan. Initially, it was agreed that only men, particularly criminals and presumed terror threats, would be forcibly returned to Kabul.

"The deadly knife attack on a young policeman is a reflection of a hate-filled ideology, of radical Islamism," said Scholz. "The sole term for this is terror," he added. "We fight terror."

Scholz asserted that Germany's security interests are more critical than the protection interests of the perpetrator.

In December, the Interior Ministers' Conference had lamented the inability to deport serious criminals and threats to countries such as Syria and Afghanistan. They urged the Federal Interior Ministry to look for solutions before the IMK spring session on June 19.

For forced removal by air, cooperation with the Taliban authorities in Kabul or the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who is accountable for the worst human rights violations, is paramount. As Scholz suggested during his speech, investigations will now be conducted through neighboring countries.

The Greens express uncertainty about the feasibility of deportation.

In the coalition partner of the SPD, the Greens, there's skepticism regarding the possibility of deportations. The Green's Foreign Minister, Annalena Baerbock, fears that Islamists expelled from Germany may instigate terror attacks from those places. The Green parliamentary group leader, Britta Hasselmann, stated during the debate on the government's statement, "Those who commit serious crimes must be deported once they have completed their sentences." Nevertheless, she highlighted the requirement to continuously check the security situation of all nations to ensure deportations are legal.

Union faction leader, Friedrich Merz, called for prompt and decisive measures from Scholz. "The era of warnings and condemnation, of hedging and postponement is over," said the CDU head during the government statement commentary. "The people expect us to act. They want decisions. They're waiting for a clear, unambiguous answer from politics," Merz added.

By the end of April, the Foreigners' Registration Office reported that there were 13,396 deportation-eligible Afghans in Germany. Not all of them, though, were without a 'tolerated stay,' meaning they couldn't be deported because of missing documents or due to health reasons. Similarly, 10,026 Syrians recorded as deportation-eligible also had a 'tolerated stay,' leaving them incapable of immediate deportation.

Read also:

1. The Federal Chancellor wants to resume deportations of severe offenders to Afghanistan and Syria following the knife attack in Mannheim.
2. Scholz mentioned that severe criminals and terrorist threats have not lost relevance, regardless of their origin.
3. The Federal Interior Ministry is discussing deportation possibilities with neighboring countries of Afghanistan.
4. Scholz proposed refining expulsion regulations to include terror crimes as a serious reason for deportation.
5. Anyone who attacks those who care or rescue lives should face harsh legal consequences, according to Scholz.
6. Weapon and knife ban zones are necessary, according to the Federal Chancellor.
7. An Afghan man assaulted members of the Islam-critical movement Pax Europa and a police officer with a knife in Mannheim.
8. Germany halted deportations to Afghanistan after the Taliban seized power in Kabul.
9. Initially, Germany agreed to forcibly return only men, particularly criminals and suspected terror threats, to Kabul.
10. The deadly knife attack in Mannheim is a reflection of a hate-filled ideology, according to Scholz.
11. The Greens are uncertain about the feasibility of deportations to Afghanistan and Syria.
12. The Green's Foreign Minister, Annalena Baerbock, fears that Islamists expelled from Germany may instigate terror attacks.
13. Union faction leader Friedrich Merz urged Scholz to take decisive action against terrorism and severe crimes.
14. There are 13,396 deportation-eligible Afghans in Germany, but not all of them can be immediately deported due to missing documents or health reasons.
15. Germany and its partners will continue to uphold international law when dealing with conflicts and extremism, such as terrorism, in Afghanistan, Syria, and Ukraine.

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