Immigration

Germany: Islamist jailed over planned terror attack A Berlin court has sentenced an Islamist to more than five years in jail for preparing a dangerous bomb attack. The man is from the same milieu as Berlin Christmas market attacker Anis Amri.

(Deutsche Welle) A Berlin court on Friday sentenced a 32-year-old Islamist to five years and four months in prison for planning a serious terror attack involving explosives. The man, identified only as Magomed-Ali C. under German privacy laws, is thought to have […]

Government & Politics

Prosecutor general aims to charge Finns Party MP for incitement In a speech to parliament last summer MP Juha Mäenpää likened asylum seekers to an invasive species.

(Yle) Finland’s Prosecutor General Raija Toiviainen wants to bring charges against Finns Party MP Juha Mäenpää for inciting hatred against an ethnic group. As Mäenpää delivered a speech before the legislature last June, he likened asylum seekers to an invasive species. According […]

Clothing

Civil rights groups challenging Quebec’s religious symbols ban file appeal to Canada’s top court Request for appeal was filed in a 27-page brief Friday

(CBC) Civil rights groups challenging Quebec’s controversial ban on religious symbols have filed an appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada. Last month, Quebec’s Court of Appeal rejected a request to suspend portions of the law, known as Bill 21, pending a ruling on its constitutionality. […]

Law Enforcement

German police raid ‘Islamists’ suspected of planning attack Prosecutors in Berlin said that the suspects are believed to have staked out locations for a future 'Islamist-motivated' attack. Evidence gathered so far does not indicate that there were any concrete attack plans.

(Deutsche Welle) Police carried out raids at properties across four German states on Tuesday morning, targeting suspected Islamists who were believed to be “planning a serious violent act endangering the state.” Prosecutors in Berlin said the suspects were of “Chechen origin from […]

Immigration

Germany jails jihadi for Syrian massacre An ex-member of al-Qaida affiliate Nusra Front has been sentenced to life in prison for involvement in a 2013 massacre of regime forces. Prosecutors have sought to jail war criminals who arrived in Germany as refugees.

(Deutsche Welle) A German court on Monday sentenced a 31-year-old Syrian man to life in prison for double homicide and accessory to 17 counts of murder committed during his time as an Islamist militant. The former Nusra Front jihadi was found guilty […]

Government & Politics

Fearing Soleimani reprisal, Germany revises terror threat level The country's top police institution fears Israeli and US facilities could be targeted by terrorists following the assassination of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani. Many German states are already on high alert.

(Deutsche Welle) Germany has revised its terror threat levels at home and abroad following the assassination of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani, the country’s Interior Ministry said, confirming an earlier report by a German newspaper. Updated guidance was sent to police in Germany’s 16 states by […]

Immigration

Germany’s police chief says country struggles to deport foreigners Germany's federal police chief said a lack of pre-deportation facilities is hampering the deportation of rejected asylum seekers and illegal foreigners to third countries.

(Deutsche Welle) Germany is struggling to deport rejected asylum seekers, the country’s top police chief said on Wednesday. Federal police chief Dieter Romann blamed a lack of pre-deportation facilities for deportations not being carried out. Speaking to Germany’s Funke media group, he […]

Law Enforcement

Germany: Nine terror attacks prevented since Berlin Christmas market killings Police say two terror-related incidents were prevented last month alone. Germany has been on heightened alert for fresh atrocities following the death of 'Islamic State' (IS) leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in October.

(Deutsche Welle) Since the 2016 terrorist attack in Berlin’s Breitscheidplatz, German authorities have prevented a further nine attacks of a similar nature, the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) said Sunday. Indeed, last month alone, two acts of terror were thwarted, the BKA told Germany’s Welt […]

Children & Teens

Sanna Marin: ‘It’s not the government’s job to decide individual al-Hol cases’ The new PM told Yle on Saturday she wondered why the conservative NCP decided to take a hard line on Finns at al-Hol.

(Yle) Speaking on Yle’s talk show Ykkösaamu on Saturday, Prime Minister Sanna Marin said she was very pleased with the government’s decision to repatriate Finnish children from the al-Hol refugee camp. “It’s up to ministry officials to determine whether Finland will also […]