Brussels: German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt has escalated the nation's security threat level, citing "clearly identifiable" attack plans targeting the country, as reported by the German newspaper Welt am Sonntag. In an exclusive interview, Dobrindt announced the decision to elevate the threat status due to an increased volume of intelligence reports, indicating a heightened risk of terrorist activities.
According to Anadolu Agency, Dobrindt emphasized that Germany must be on high alert for potential terrorist attacks at any time. He revealed that attacks are being planned against not only critical infrastructure but also individuals and institutions. Recently, German security forces managed to thwart a planned bomb attack allegedly orchestrated by recruits linked to foreign intelligence services.
In light of these threats, Dobrindt unveiled plans to expand the powers of Germany's intelligence agencies through proposed legislative reforms. These changes, expected to be reviewed by the Cabinet later this summer, would allow intelligence services to intervene directly in certain high-risk scenarios, rather than solely focusing on gathering and analyzing data.
The proposed legislation would enable domestic intelligence officers to enter and search homes in urgent terrorist situations, particularly if police forces are unable to respond promptly. Additionally, the reforms would grant Germany's domestic and foreign intelligence bodies limited operational powers to conduct "protective measures" aimed at disrupting espionage or planned attacks, contingent upon prior approval from the Independent Supervisory Council.
Dobrindt reassured that the traditional separation between intelligence agencies and police would remain intact, with arrests continuing to be the exclusive responsibility of police authorities. The Cabinet is set to discuss the proposed legislative reforms on August 13.
Moreover, the minister highlighted intensified efforts by security authorities to address violent left-wing extremism. According to Welt am Sonntag, investigators have advanced in separate probes into attacks targeting Berlin's electricity infrastructure and have identified suspects linked to acts of sabotage claimed by left-wing extremist factions.
North Rhine-Westphalia Interior Minister Herbert Reul voiced his condemnation of these attacks, asserting that those responsible aim to "replace politics with violence" and that such actions will not be tolerated.