Germany: Intelligence officials warn country is high on IS target list

Event

Hans-Georg Maassen, the President of Germany's domestic security agency, Bundesamt für Verfassungsschutz (BfV), stated on Monday, May 29, that the country is high on the Islamic State's (IS) target list. He also stated that Al-Qa’ida is still a threat and that the group could launch new attacks to compete with the reputation of IS. The BfV believes that there are approximately 10,000 Islamist extremists in Germany, of which 670 are deemed to be potentially dangerous.

Context

Germany experienced three IS-linked attacks in 2016, including the December 19 truck attack in Berlin that left 12 people dead.

Maassen has called for increased powers for Germany's security agencies and supports Interior Minister Thomas de Maizière's plan for security services to become more centralized. Currently, each state leads its own security operations. The leaders of the state governments have opposed Maizière's plan.

Advice

Individuals in Germany are advised to remain vigilant and report any suspicious objects or behavior to the relevant authorities.​