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CRIME

Far-right vigilantes could face terror charges

Federal prosecutors in Karlsruhe confirmed on Friday that they had requested files on members of a far-right Bürgerwehr (vigilante group) in Freital, Saxony, who could face terrorism charges.

Far-right vigilantes could face terror charges
Anti-asylum demonstrators face off with police in Freital, Saxony, in June 2015. Photo: DPA

While federal authorities have yet to take over the case from state prosecutors in Saxon capital Dresden, the investigation is a step towards the group facing a trial at the federal level.

The files cover two cases against a total of five men and one woman aged between 18 and 40.

They are accused of attacking refugee accommodations and refugee aid workers.

Dresden-based prosecutors had flagged up the case to their federal colleagues in Karlsruhe because they suspected it could qualify for the serious crime of “forming a terrorist group”.

One of the two cases concerns an attack on an asylum accommodation centre on the outskirts of Freital, which became notorious in summer 2015 as a hotspot of anti-refugee sentiment after weeks-long demonstrations against refugee accommodations and repeated attacks against asylum seekers.

The case also covers an attack using explosives and butyric acid against an “alternative living project” for refugee supporters in Dresden.

The state trial against the five suspects – men aged 18, 24, 27 and 29, and a 27-year-old woman – had been due to start imminently, but the charges were withdrawn to allow the federal prosecutors time to examine the files.

One of the accused in the first case, the 27-year-old man, is also believed to have been involved in a case of serious bodily harm against refugee supporters.

He and two other men are accused of a baseball bat attack against people who took part in a welcome demonstration in Dresden last summer.

One of the victims was the son of the deputy Minister-President of Saxony, Martin Dulig.

Police raids by the Politically Motivated Crimes Unit (PMK) and Anti-Extremism Unit (OAZ) in Freital and Dresden in November and March turned up explosives, Nazi memorabilia and computers.

The OAZ released figures on Tuesday reporting that it had investigated 208 cases with a far-right political background and solved 123 of them in 2015, broadcaster MDR reported.

TERRORISM

How does Germany warn people about the threat of terrorist attacks?

Following the recent terrorist attack in Moscow, France has shifted onto the highest possible alert level for terrorist threats. Why doesn't Germany use a similar system - and how does it alert people instead?

How does Germany warn people about the threat of terrorist attacks?

Since the brutal terrorist attack on a Berlin Christmas Market back in December 2016, fears of Islamist terror seem to have receded into the background – through far-right terror has remained prevalent.

But the recent terror attack on a concert hall in Moscow, which has been attributed to a branch of IS, has heightened fears of a resurgence of Islamist violence.

In contrast to neighbouring countries, Germany doesn’t use a national terror alert system to ‘grade’ the threat of terror – but it does have another system for protecting its population and warning people. 

Here’s what you need to know about Germany’s approach to tracking threats of terrorism. 

How does Germany manage the threat of terror? 

According to the Interior Ministry, rather than relying on a system of color-coded alert levels, German security authorities take a more decentralised approach.

The Federal Criminal Police Office regularly conducts assessments of terrorist threats, which are then shared with the leaders of the federal states. If there’s a significant increase in the overall risk assessment or a specific threat emerges, the government puts “appropriate security measures” in place, the Interior Ministry states.

Unlike centralised systems in countries like France, where national threat levels are analysed and shared with the public, security responsibilities in Germany are largely decentralised, resting with individual states.

Why doesn’t Germany use terror alert levels?

When it comes to using national terror alerts to alert citizens, the Interior Ministry remains sceptical, arguing that the threat level can vary significantly between regions and even within cities.

According to the Ministry, having uniform alert levels nationwide might give the false impression that the danger is uniform everywhere, which would lead to higher levels of panic and uncertainty among citizens. 

READ ALSO: How prepared is Germany in the event of a military attack?

While alert levels could theoretically serve as a means to reach the population, ARD terrorism expert Michael Götschenberg points out that their effectiveness diminishes over time. People tend to become desensitised to frequent high alert levels, which causes people to ‘switch off’ and ultimately ignore potential threats.

Mourner at Breitscheidplatz in Berlin

A man stands in front of the memorial to the victims of the Islamist terrorist attack on Breitscheidplatz in December 2026. The Christmas Market attack was the last major Islamist attack in Germany. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Christoph Soeder

One of the main factors that renders colour-coded alerts less useful is the fact that “the levels are not linked to specific rules of behaviour for the population”, Götschenberg told Tagesschau.

Austria, for example, raised its alert level last November but emphasised that the public didn’t need to alter their behaviour in any way. This reflects authorities’ belief that the best way to fight terrorism is for the population to show resilience and refuse to give into fear.

How high is the threat of terror attacks in Germany?

In the aftermath of the terrorist attack in Moscow, Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) has described the current threat of Islamist terror as “acute”.

However, the attack has not significantly changed the authorities’ perceptions of the situation. In fact, the threat was defined as acute before the latest attacks and remains so afterwards.

Several other countries, including the UK and the US, have already put out warnings for potential terrorist attacks to citizens who are considering travelling to Germany. In the UK, for example, the government cites recent attacks such as the shootings in Hanau shisha bars back in 2020 and the knife attack in Dresden the same year.

“Terrorists are very likely to try and carry out attacks in Germany,” states the official government advice, which adds that restaurants, markets, shopping centres and places of worship could be chosen for potential attacks. 

So, how will the public be warned if a plans for a specific attack become known? As well as offering general information about terrorist threat levels, the government will also release specifics that it feels are necessary for the public safety.

For example, when the authorities suspected an attack was being planned in the area around Cologne cathedral ahead of Christmas last year, warnings were sent out to residents of the city. 

On Tuesday, Faeser also revealed that she would put additional border controls in place during the European Football Championships in June and July this year. 

READ ALSO: Germany announces border controls for European Football Championship

The focus will be on protecting the country from Islamists, political extremists and other violent criminals during the competition.

“We are keeping an eye on the current threats,” Faeser told the regional Rheinische Post. 

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