German Minister of the Interior calls for US-like anti-terror laws
German newspaper WELT ONLINE reports (German language source) on the latest development of German Minister of the Interior Wolfgang Schäuble.
He’s raising the question whether Germany is able to defend itself against the growing terrorist threat using the current tools available to law enforcement. He’s especially worried about “sympathizers of the criminal networks” and “jeopardizers” (He keeps making up fuzzy fake words like that in German, too.)
He’s thinking about implementing similar anti-terror laws as the United States.
For instance he wants to establish the punishable act of “conspiracy” in the same way.
Or maybe one could treat those “jeopardizers” like enemy combatants” (He used the lean-word “Kombatanten” instead of “Kämpfer” (combatants) in his German statement, which is not in general use in Germany and thus sounds like “nothing” to the broad public.)
As if this wouldn’t be enough already, he also suggest to deny “extremists” (no clear definition of the term) the use of mobile phones and internet to communicate. (I’m wondering what ridiculous new laws, taking away our civil liberties, he would have to get passed to make this possible.)
He also sees a problem in that it is not allowed to call hits ( “Target Killings” , he used the English word which sounds way less threatening then “Mordanschlag”, because, again, no one understands what he means) on suspects.
He’s being quoted saying “What if Osama Bin Laden were found in Germany? The legal situation is totally unclear right now.” (Author’s transl.)
Parliamentary group leader Peter Struck (SPD) is open for further discussion which suggests he’s interested in what Schäuble wants to do. The only resistance is brought up by Federal Minister of Justice Brigitte Zypries (SPD) who doesn’t agree.
Comment:
After all the other stuff that happened lately, like Schäuble’s take at “online search and seize” using a “federal trojan horse” to come after “criminals” or yesterday’s action of making mere possession of “hacker tools” illegal, I ranted about it already, I see Germany moving towards a police state quite soon.
Given the fact that the next elections are still years in the future, we might not be able to get rid of Schäuble, who seems to grow more and more delusional by the minute, seeing threats where there are none.
German online magazine “heise Telepolis” had a nice round-up and analysis of Schäuble and his background (German language) written just two months ago. In this report questions regarding the psychological state of the Minister of the Interior are raised, taking a look at the attack leaving him paralyzed, in need of a wheelchair, ever since.
Undisclosed sources from the inside of the German government are quoted that he “freaks out” during meetings on a regular basis, frantically demanding his ideas to “increase security” should be passed.
With people like this in power, Germany’s future is dim.