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Tuesday, 24 December 2024
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  • On Security and Migration.. Germany Reviews Security Measures After Ramming Incident

  • Gaps in handling Saudi warnings reveal deep flaw in German security system and weak international intelligence coordination
On Security and Migration.. Germany Reviews Security Measures After Ramming Incident
الشرطة الألمانية \ تعبيرية \ متداولة

Germany initiated a comprehensive investigation Monday into possible security breaches following a ramming incident at a Christmas gift market that killed five people and injured 235 others.

Authorities continue investigating motives of the detained suspect, a Saudi psychiatrist in his fifties known for anti-Islamic rhetoric and sympathy with the far-right movement.

Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser called for tightening domestic security laws, including enhancing police powers and introducing biometric surveillance systems.

The deputy chairman of the parliamentary security committee announced plans to call for an extraordinary session to investigate ignoring previous warnings about the suspect, Taleb Al-Abdulmohsen, residing in Germany since 2006.

The opposition Christian Democratic Union party emphasized the need to strengthen intelligence agencies, as it prepares to form the next government after February elections.

Günther Krings, party spokesman, told "Handelsblatt" newspaper: "We can no longer accept the fact that information often comes only from foreign intelligence agencies."

Holger Münch, Federal Criminal Police Office president, acknowledged receiving a Saudi warning in 2023 about the suspect, while "Der Spiegel" revealed Berlin ignored three Saudi warnings.

This incident comes amid an early election campaign, with increased security alerts in anticipation of possible attacks, especially eight years after a similar attack on a Berlin Christmas market.

Levant-Agencies