Germany’s terrorism watch list: What you need to know The suspected Strasbourg attacker was named on a French high-security watch list. German authorities, in turn, keep tabs on hundreds of potential terrorists — who are they and what are authorities doing about them?

(Deutsche Welle) What is a “potential terrorist”?

A potential terrorist (referred to in German as “Gefährder,” lit. “endangerer”) is someone who could pose a threat to public safety as certain “facts justify the assumption that he or she may commit a severe crime.” Such assumptions are primarily based on insights generated by Germany’s intelligence services or police state security departments.

Individuals who pose a potential threat may not be jailed unless they are convicted of an actual crime. German security and criminal law stipulates that a person may only be jailed for his or her criminal deeds, not for harboring certain beliefs or posing a potential threat.

Being a member of a terrorist organization, meanwhile, counts as a crime. As does “preparing or helping commit a serious crime that threatens the state.”

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