(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.”
