BERLIN, Oct 22: The global financial crisis has emboldened some Muslim militants who see it as proof the western system is flawed and can be defeated, according to the head of Germany’s foreign intelligence agency.

Ernst Uhrlau, the head of the BND, the German equivalent of the US Central Intelligence Agency, said it was too early to judge whether recent financial woes would help militants recruit new adherents, but suggested it had become a topic of debate in militants’ forums.

“We’re hearing some first voices on this. Some see the fact that the US has been so shattered by the financial crisis, and that its dominant role in the world is shaken, as confirmation the West can be beaten,” he said.

The crisis, which grew out of troubles in the US mortgage market, has snowballed since last month.—Reuters