Legal

German-Afghan spy gets nearly 7 years for treason The man passed on state secrets to the Iranian secret service while working as a translator for the German military. Now a Koblenz court has handed him a lengthy prison sentence.

(Deutsche Welle) A former Afghan translator to the German military has been handed six years and 10 months in prison after being charged with treason for selling secrets to the Iranian secret service. The Koblenz court also found his wife, Asiea S., […]

Children & Teens

Germany open to resettling children from Greek refugee camps Germany's government is seeking a 'coalition of the willing' to take in the children across Europe. The EU wants to avoid a repeat [of] the 2015 refugee crisis as thousands of refugees and migrants gather at Greece's border.

(Deutsche Welle) Germany is prepared to take in “an appropriate share” of the neediest refugee children housed in overcrowded Greek migrant camps, German officials said on Monday. The country is set [to] take children in as part of “a coalition of the willing” […]

Demonstrations

Germany: Thousands rally urging government to accept more refugees Berlin has insisted that the EU's 'borders are not open' despite a new push of migrants and refugees at the Turkish-Greek frontier. Up to 5,000 people have gathered in the northern city, chanting 'Hamburg has space.'

(Deutsche Welle) Up to 5,000 people gathered in Hamburg on Saturday in protest of the German government’s handling of the fresh migrant crisis unfolding at the Turkish-Greek border. The rally took place in response to the rush by thousands of … migrants […]

Children & Teens

Germany: Alleged IS terrorist goes on trial The German convert is accused of taking her three children to Syria without the knowledge or consent of their father. The eldest son, trained as a child soldier aged 7, is thought to have died in a 2018 rocket attack.

(Deutsche Welle) A court in the western city of Düsseldorf … was scheduled Friday to hear a set of charges filed by federal prosecutors against a 32-year-old mother, accused of joining the Islamic State (“IS”) terrorist group. The woman, originally from Oberhausen […]

Discrimination & “Islamophobia”

Germany’s Seehofer touts expert panel on Islamophobia after Hanau killings An expert group to tackle Islamophobia in Germany has been floated by Chancellor Angela Merkel's interior minister. The move follows a racist multiple shooting last week and precedes an integration summit in Berlin.

(Deutsche Welle) Interior Minister Horst Seehofer announced on Saturday the creation of an “independent expert group on Islamophobia” (Muslimfeindlichkeit), saying it would emulate current ministerial panels on anti-Semitism and antiziganism, meaning hostility toward Jewish and Roma communities respectively. His call follows a charge […]

Clothing

Headscarf ban for trainee lawyers ruled constitutional The German state of Hesse bans headscarves from being worn by lawyers and trainee lawyers in courtrooms. A woman had hoped to prove this was unconstitutional; but the German top court judges thought otherwise.

(Deutsche Welle) A headscarf ban for lawyers and trainees in German courtrooms is not unconstitutional, ruled the country’s top court on Thursday. A German-Moroccan law student had hoped to prove that the law in Hesse, which forbids headscarves during training in the courtroom, was […]

Children & Teens

Germany indicts Iraqi man over death of Yazidi slave girl The man has been accused of letting the 5-year-old die of thirst after keeping her as a slave in Iraq. The suspect and his wife, German national Jennifer W., allegedly left the girl chained up before she perished.

(Deutsche Welle) German prosecutors said on Friday they had indicted an Iraqi man for allegedly leaving a Yazidi girl to die of thirst. He and his wife kept the 5-year-old as a slave in Iraq and his spouse, a German convert to Islam, is already […]

News: Europe

Over 60 Germans among Islamists in Idlib An analysis of text and video messages from jihadis in Idlib reveals over 60 Germans among their ranks, German media report. Syrian President Bashar Assad is determined to retake the region.

(Deutsche Welle) More than 60 Germans are fighting in Idlib, the last stronghold of foreign fighters in northwest Syria, according to reports by the German broadcaster SWR on Sunday. SWR reviewed transcripts of instant messages sent by the fighters and determined that the […]

Academics & Education

German authorities, politicians divided on niqab, burqa ban Politicians across party lines agree that the niqab and the burqa are out of place at schools and universities. Some, however, fear that a ban could hamper integration into German society.

(Deutsche Welle) There are very few women and girls in Germany wearing a full-face veil such as the niqab or the burqa — most likely a mere two-digit number. A recent verdict handed down by a Hamburg court, however, has sparked a […]

Children & Teens

Female genital mutilation feels ‘like living in a dead body’ More than 70,000 women in Germany have undergone female genital mutilation, and a rising number of young girls are considered at risk — even though it's illegal. It's prompted Berlin to set up a national anti-FGM office.

(Deutsche Welle) After Shadia Abdelmoneim’s third child was born, while she was still under anesthetic, her midwife performed female genital mutilation (FGM) on her without her consent. It led to a lengthy period of shock thereafter where she found it difficult to […]

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 […]

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 […]

Academics & Education

Would Turkish schools in Germany increase Erdogan’s influence abroad? The German government is working out a possible framework for opening Turkish schools in three German cities. DW dives into what that would look like in practice.

(Deutsche Welle) The German government announced on Friday negotiations with Ankara to create a framework for Turkish schools to be opened in Berlin, Cologne and Frankfurt, sparking debate over the schools’ role in increasing Turkish President [Recep Tayyip] Erdogan’s political influence abroad. […]

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 […]

Discrimination & “Islamophobia”

Denmark: Young women fight the government’s ghetto list Denmark draws up a list of areas it dubs 'ghettos' every year. This time, a group of young women from one of the vulnerable neighborhoods has been trying to put a stop to what they see as stigmatization.

(Deutsche Welle) This year four young women from one of Denmark’s so-called ghettos, Tingbjerg, had had enough. In an open letter to Housing Minister Kaare Dybvad, they protested against the annual “ghetto list” of underprivileged neighborhoods that the Danish government presents each […]

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 […]

Law Enforcement

Germany: Berlin Christmas market evacuated over reported suspicious objects The Christmas market at Breitscheidplatz, where an Islamist terrorist carried out a deadly truck attack in 2016, was evacuated over reports of suspicious packages. But police later said nothing of the sort was found.

(Deutsche Welle) German police said on Saturday that they had asked visitors to Berlin’s Christmas market at Breitscheidplatz to leave the area after receiving information about suspicious objects. A concert event at the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church had also been broken off as […]

Government & Politics

Germany: Fewer Islamists pose terror risk The number of Islamists posing a terrorist risk in Germany has decreased, according to figures from Germany's Interior Ministry. One official put this down to increased vigilance following the 2016 Berlin terror attack.

(Deutsche Welle) The threat from potential Islamist terrorists in Germany has decreased from last year, according to data from the German Interior Ministry. A total of 679 Islamic extremists in Germany were considered to pose a terrorist risk at the beginning of November 2019, compared […]

Immigration

Germany: Police presence on migrant deportation flights nearly doubles The number of police officers escorting deported migrants from Germany has risen sharply over the past four years. Security staff are feeling the strain over safety concerns and distant destinations.

(Deutsche Welle) The number of police officers accompanying deportation flights in Germany has nearly doubled in four years, despite overall deportations decreasing. There were nearly 11,000 police officers on deportation flights in 2018, compared with 5,841 in 2014 — a jump of 5,639 in a […]

Government & Politics

Germany deported more than 90 ‘potential terrorists’ Since 2016, Germany has deported a number of people suspected of being willing or capable of carrying out terrorist attacks. The government figures were released in response to a parliamentary inquiry.

(Deutsche Welle) Germany has deported 90 “Gefährder” and other “relevant persons” since the 2016 attack on a Berlin Christmas market, according to German newsmagazine Der Spiegel, which cited a government response to a parliamentary inquiry on Friday. In Germany a “Gefährder” (lit. “endangerer”) […]

Demonstrations

Iranian journalists in Europe face threats and harassment from regime in Tehran Many Iranian journalists working for foreign media outlets say officials back home are harassing their family members in an attempt to silence critical reporting from abroad. DW spoke to some of the affected journalists.

(Deutsche Welle) Some Iranian journalists living and working abroad have been getting bad news when calling home after discovering that parents and siblings have been interrogated and detained. For years, Iranian authorities have been putting pressure on family members to silence critical journalists […]

Crime

Germany: Dangerous criminals to be deported to Syria? The German Foreign Ministry says risks are still too great to send migrants back to Syria. But Germany's state interior ministers have said they have agreed to return felons convicted of serious crimes.

(Deutsche Welle) Interior ministers from Germany’s 16 federal states agreed at their annual meeting Thursday to relax a moratorium on deportations to Syria. The chairman of the “Innenministerkonferenz” (interior ministers’ conference), Hans-Joachim Grote said there was cross-party consensus. “The ban on deportations […]

Immigration

Germany: Thousands of migrants return after deportation, report says Thousands of asylum-seekers in Germany have returned multiple times after deportation, according to a report in German media. Those with entry bans often serve a few months in jail or are not arrested at all.

(Deutsche Welle) Thousands of migrants in Germany have applied for asylum multiple times and return to the country after having been deported, according to a report by German newspaper Die Welt am Sonntag published on Sunday. There are nearly 5,000 asylum-seekers who […]

Books

Controversial German ex-politician’s speech canceled after threats Social Democrat politician Thilo Sarrazin, who has written several books criticizing Islam, was due to appear in Bremen. Local media said staff were put under pressure to drop the event amid planned left-wing protests.

(Deutsche Welle) Thilo Sarrazin, who has been accused by Islamic organizations of racism and damaging Germany’s reputation, will no longer appear at a private business club in the northwestern city of Bremen next month. The Weser-Kurier newspaper cited organizers as saying the […]

Clerics & Preachers

Founder of Berlin’s liberal mosque honored for inclusive vision Seyran Ates' long fight for women's rights in the Muslim world led her to open a tolerant mosque where non-veiled women could preach and pray alongside men. She has now been honored with the prestigious Urania Medal.

(Deutsche Welle) A lawyer, activist, author and now imam, Seyran Ates has long lent a critical voice to debates about migration, women’s rights and religious freedom in Germany and beyond. Ates co-founded the “liberal” Ibn Ruschd-Goethe Mosque on the third floor of St. John’s Church near […]

News: Europe

Germany detains ‘Islamic State’ returnee deported from Turkey German authorities have detained an Islamist who was expelled with his family from Turkey. Ankara has been deporting individuals with alleged affiliation to the 'Islamic State' terror group to their countries of origin.

(Deutsche Welle) The father of a family of seven, expelled by Turkey on Thursday, was taken into custody on arrival in Germany, said Martin Pallgen, a spokesman for the Berlin state Interior Ministry. A warrant for his arrest is understood not to be […]

Academics & Education

Germany set to take charge of imam education locally In a bid to reduce foreign influence on Islamic religious leaders, Germany will support a new pilot project that educates imams locally. Experts say it is a positive step, but a more comprehensive approach is needed.

(Deutsche Welle) The government has long struggled with foreign involvement when it comes to the education of imams who lead Muslim communities across Germany. Now, a new educational association, with start-up funding from Germany’s interior ministry, is set to launch on November 21. Even though some […]

Deradicalization

Germany: Don’t panic over ‘Islamic State’ returnees’ arrival Berlin has tried to reassure the public that suspected German Islamic State supporters being deported from Turkey do not pose a security threat. Critics say the government should have brought them back sooner.

(Deutsche Welle) A family of seven German Islamists arrived in Berlin on Thursday after the Turkish Interior Ministry announced earlier this week that it would start deportations of captured “Islamic State” supporters. There are no German arrest warrants for the family of German-Iraqi Kanan B., meaning […]

Government & Politics

Deportation of suspected ‘IS’ fighters forces Germany to take action Turkey will deport 10 men, women and children with suspected ties to 'Islamic State' back to Germany this week. The move is making several countries address how to repatriate suspected terrorists and their families.

(Deutsche Welle) The repatriation of “Islamic State” (IS) deportees  is bound to spark domestic and international debate: Public opinion in Germany is moving against the repatriation of suspected terrorists, and countries around the world continue to shy away from bringing suspected fighters and […]

Government & Politics

Germany: Terror victims to receive better compensation After criticism that the victims of the 2016 Berlin terrorist attack were left behind, Germany has passed new laws on damages. Victims will be more speedily and more generously compensated.

(Deutsche Welle) Future victims of terrorist attacks in Germany will get better and speedier [compensation] after a new law was passed in the Bundestag on Thursday evening. The modernizing move came after criticism of the treatment received by the victims of the […]

Children & Teens

Germany must repatriate IS-linked mother and children, says court Three German children in northern [Syria] and their one-time 'Islamic State'-affiliated mother must be brought back by Germany’s federal government. That’s been confirmed by a regional appeal court in Berlin.

(Deutsche Welle) Germany’s Higher Administration Court (OVG) in Berlin-Brandenburg on Thursday ruled that three children and their mother must be brought back from northern Syria. While the German Foreign Ministry was prepared to repatriate the children, it refused to bring back the mother citing — like many other […]

Clerics & Preachers

Germany: Imams will have to prove they speak the language Religious leaders from other countries could soon be forced to prove they can speak German in order to stay in the country. Critics say such a law would worsen the country's shortage of Muslim clerics.

(Deutsche Welle) The German Cabinet has introduced a draft of a bill that would require clergy from countries outside the EU to prove their knowledge of German in order to reside in the country. Although the law would apply to clerics from […]

Immigration

Germany: In 20 years, 1 in 3 people will have migrant roots In large cities, up to 70% of inhabitants will have a migrant background in two decades, experts say. Germany will need to attract a 'range of nationalities' to keep the 'economy stable.'

(Deutsche Welle) By 2040, about 35% of Germany’s population will have a migrant background or be a migrant themselves, according to a German migration expert. Herbert Brücker, who heads the migration research department at the Federal Institute for Employment Research (IAB), told […]

Internet

Germany prevented 7 attacks since Berlin Christmas market atrocity An attack like the one that left 12 dead in 2016 would not be possible today, says the head of the Federal Criminal Police Office. But the effects of online hate speech have officials worried for democracy in Germany.

(Deutsche Welle) Security authorities have prevented seven terrorist attacks in Germany since the 2016 Christmas market terror attack that killed 12, says Germany’s Federal Criminal Police Office. In an interview with German daily Rheinische Post published Wednesday, the organization’s president Holger Münch said […]

Military

Heightened tensions between Turks and Kurds on German amateur football pitches A military salute by Turkish players at an international against Albania has spilled over onto Germany’s amateur pitches. Regional associations are trying to put a lid on a potential source of on-field tensions.

(Deutsche Welle) It didn’t take the copycats very long. Less than 48 hours after members of the Turkish national team raised their right hands in a salute to their country’s armed forces during last Friday’s international, the military greeting found its way […]

Internet

Gündogan and Can ‘like’ controversial Turkish football Instagram post Ilkay Gündogan and Emre Can have embroiled themselves in a row over a controversial military salute celebration. The German internationals liked an Instagram post featuring Turkey players that is thought to be political.

(Deutsche Welle) Germany players Ilkay Gündogan and Emre Can have found themselves mixed up in the contentious debate over a military salute celebration performed by Turkish international footballers, after the pair both liked an Instagram post showing the celebrations. The two German-born […]

Children & Teens

Germany: Asylum-seeker who killed Kandel teen found dead in prison cell An Afghan asylum-seeker who was convicted of murdering a 15-year-old German girl in 2017 has been found dead in his prison cell. The murder case sparked months of anti-immigrant rallies and counterprotests.

(Deutsche Welle) Abdul D., an Afghan asylum-seeker convicted of stabbing his 15-year-old ex-girlfriend to death, was found dead at a juvenile prison in the western state of Rhineland-Palatinate, police and prosecutors said on Thursday. Authorities said in a statement that Abdul D.’s body […]

Children & Teens

Germany charges Iraqi man with genocide for killing Yazidi child An Iraqi man faces a charge of genocide in Germany, accused of chaining up a Yazidi girl and letting the 5-year-old die of thirst. He and his wife, a German national, are believed to be part of the 'Islamic State' group.

(Deutsche Welle) Greek authorities extradited an Iraqi man to Germany where he now faces charges of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and human trafficking, German prosecutors said on Friday. German officials identified the suspected “Islamic State” (IS) militant as Taha A.-J., in […]

Immigration

German authorities investigating stolen truck ramming A man from Syria has been arrested after a truck plowed into a line of cars in the western city of Limburg. German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said that as yet, there was no clear motive behind the incident.

(Deutsche Welle) German authorities were investigating Tuesday why a man rammed a stolen truck into a line of cars in Limburg, leaving eight people injured as well as the driver. Officials confirmed that the 32-year-old suspected hijacker had been detained. A judge later issued a […]

Government & Politics

Germany’s Horst Seehofer warns of ‘refugee wave’ bigger than in 2015 German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer has called on the EU to do more to support Turkey and avoid another refugee crisis. If nothing is done, he said, the crisis may become 'even greater than four years ago.'

(Deutsche Welle) German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer has warned of a larger influx of refugees than that seen in Europe in 2015. He made the statement during an official visit to Greece. Traveling with incoming European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, […]

Arts & Entertainment

Controversial Palestinian rappers banned from performing in Berlin Known for their anti-Israel lyrics, Palestinian rappers Shadi Al-Bourini and Shadi Al-Najjar were due to headline a so-called 'solidarity rally' held by Palestinian groups that the Israeli ambassador to Germany opposed.

(Deutsche Welle) A Palestinian rally set to take place Wednesday in front of Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate has caused a diplomatic storm as both the Israeli and US ambassadors to Germany called for a performance by Palestinian rappers Shadi Al-Bourini and Shadi Al-Najjar to be […]

Government & Politics

Asylum approvals almost always right, German review finds — report Nearly all decisions to grant migrants asylum in Germany were justified, officials found after reviewing some 62,000 claims, according to a newspaper report. Hundreds of officials work on reviewing old cases.

(Deutsche Welle) While reviewing successful asylum applications, German officials found that only a tiny minority of asylum-seekers provided false information or tried to trick the officials, according to official data cited by Süddeutsche Zeitung on Thursday. Germany’s migration agency, BAMF, looked into […]

Immigration

Italian soldier stabbed near Milan train station A man reportedly used a letter opener to injure a soldier on patrol in Milan, a day after attacking people with a pen. Other soldiers managed to subdue the suspect, who allegedly shouted 'Allahu Akbar' during the arrest.

(Deutsche Welle) Italian anti-terrorism officials are investigating a 23-year-old man suspected of stabbing an army corporal outside Milan’s main train station, Italian media reported on Tuesday. The suspect attacked the patrolling soldier from the back with a letter opener, causing the victim […]

Clerics & Preachers

Muslim, Jewish leaders team up in ‘exemplary’ European initiative Imams and rabbis from across Europe are attending a summit in Italy organized by the Muslim Jewish Leadership Council. Anti-Semitism, Islamophobia and right-wing populism are all topics they'd like to address better.

(Deutsche Welle) Although the site is remote, it has plenty of symbolism: Beginning this Sunday, Jewish and Muslim religious leaders from some 15 countries will meet in the southern Italian city of Matera, one of Europe’s 2019 cultural capitals, to take part […]

Law Enforcement

Germany: Raids carried out against terror financing suspects Special police units carried out raids in northern Germany to investigate alleged financial supporters of terrorist groups in Syria. Prosecutors said hundreds of thousands of euros were allegedly sent to militants.

(Deutsche Welle) Police carried out raids in northern Germany to investigate alleged terrorist suspects in several cities on Wednesday morning, prosecutors said. A senior prosecutor for the state of Schleswig-Holstein, Ulrike Stahlmann-Liebelt, said the raids were to investigate the suspected formation of an organized […]

Government & Politics

German court rejects plea to repatriate suspected jihadi from Syria A German court has found the government isn't responsible for repatriating a citizen imprisoned by Syrian Kurds on suspicion of joining the 'Islamic State.' The ruling was based on a technicality.

(Deutsche Welle) The German government is not required to repatriate one of its citizens believed to be imprisoned by Syrian Kurdish forces on suspicion of being a member of the “Islamic State” (IS), a Berlin administrative court ruled Tuesday. The German national, […]

Law Enforcement

Widow of German IS rapper is arrested in Hamburg The German-Tunisian woman has been arrested just months after a cellphone provided fresh evidence about her time in Syria. She had married two IS fighters, one of whom was rapper-turned-extremist Denis Cuspert.

(Deutsche Welle) German authorities said on Monday that Omaima A., a German-Tunisian woman, was arrested in Hamburg last week for her ties to the “Islamic State” (IS). Omaima A. was once married to German rapper-turned-IS fighter Denis Cuspert, who is believed to have died […]

Legal

German IS fighter faces torture and murder terrorism charges in Düsseldorf court A German IS fighter is facing charges of murder and torture at a German high court. This is the second time that he has faced terrorism-related charges.

(Deutsche Welle) A fighter from the self-styled “Islamic State” (IS) group stood trial in Düsseldorf on Wednesday facing serious charges of committing war crimes, in addition to murder. This is the second time that the 29-year-old has stood trial for terror-related offenses, […]