Germany races to act on far-right threat after deadly shootings

Published February 22, 2020
HANAU (Germany): People hold up photos of some of the victims during a march following a vigal outside a shisha cafe on Friday, two days after a gunman killed nine people in a racist attack.—AFP
HANAU (Germany): People hold up photos of some of the victims during a march following a vigal outside a shisha cafe on Friday, two days after a gunman killed nine people in a racist attack.—AFP

BERLIN: German ministers promised on Friday to ramp up security and put more police on the streets to quell public fears, two days after a racist gunman killed nine people.

Thousands joined vigils on Thursday night to show solidarity with the victims of the right-wing extremist attack at a shisha bar and cafe in the city of Hanau, which sparked debates over gun laws and protection of migrants and minorities.

Announcing an “increased police presence” at mosques, train stations, airports and borders, Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said right-wing extremism was the “biggest security threat facing Germany”.

“The police have told us there’ll be a patrol car here for at least a few minutes every Friday during prayers, so people feel safe,” Hanau mosque head Memduh Emdef said.

Seehofer said the far right had left “a trail of blood” in recent months — two people died in an attack on a synagogue in the city of Halle in October and a pro-migrant politician was murdered at his home in June.

Separately, 12 men were arrested across Germany a week ago on suspicion of planning attacks on mosques aimed at bringing about “a civil-war-like situation” in Germany.

Late Wednesday, the Hanau gunman opened fire on unsuspecting patrons at a shisha bar and cafe at two separate locations, killing nine people — all with migrant backgrounds — and wounding six more, including one gravely.

Police found the suspect and his mother shot dead in his flat hours later in an apparent murder-suicide, also recovering weapons and ammunition from the home and his car.

“Muslims in this country are afraid not only for their mosques, but for their children and families,” Zekeriya Altug of the Muslim Coordination Council told reporters in Berlin following Seehofer’s announcement of tougher security measures.

“It’s up to the authorities to ensure Muslims’ security... politicians continue not only to play down the problem, but to keep mum about Islamophobia,” Altug added.

Seehofer insisted that “in this government... no-one is blind” to the threat from the extreme right.

He and justice minister Christine Lambrecht pointed out that Germany has updated its law on firearms licensing in recent weeks and a new bill targeting online hate speech is being considered.

In December, Seehofer also announced hundreds of new posts for federal police and security services to strengthen surveillance of the far-right scene.

But he warned that, “despite all our efforts, we cannot completely rule out such terrible crimes”.

Federal police chief Holger Muench said “around half” of those who carry out attacks with extreme-right motivations were previously unknown to his officers.

The suspects in both the Halle synagogue attack and the Hanau shootings appear to have been radicalised largely online, publishing racist screeds only shortly before their attacks.

“The problem is perpetrators who act almost without any structure behind them, practically with only an internet connection... how can potential perpetrators be identified, that’s the big challenge,” Muench said. Such people were “time bombs”, justice minister Lambrecht said.

King’s College London counter-terror expert Peter Neumann told Die Welt daily that “what is already happening regarding jihadism must happen regarding right-wing extremism”.

“Security services should infiltrate and surveil forums” where people with far-right leanings gather, he said.

Published in Dawn, February 22nd, 2020

Opinion

Editorial

Judiciary’s SOS
Updated 28 Mar, 2024

Judiciary’s SOS

The ball is now in CJP Isa’s court, and he will feel pressure to take action.
Data protection
28 Mar, 2024

Data protection

WHAT do we want? Data protection laws. When do we want them? Immediately. Without delay, if we are to prevent ...
Selling humans
28 Mar, 2024

Selling humans

HUMAN traders feed off economic distress; they peddle promises of a better life to the impoverished who, mired in...
New terror wave
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

New terror wave

The time has come for decisive government action against militancy.
Development costs
27 Mar, 2024

Development costs

A HEFTY escalation of 30pc in the cost of ongoing federal development schemes is one of the many decisions where the...
Aitchison controversy
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

Aitchison controversy

It is hoped that higher authorities realise that politics and nepotism have no place in schools.