Federal Interior Minister Horst Seehofer, together with the heads of the Office for the Protection of the Constitution and the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA), presented his plans for a reorganization of the authorities. Both bodies should be better prepared for the fight against right-wing extremism in the future. The BKA and the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution should each get 300 additional jobs that are "very specifically intended to combat right-wing extremism," said Seehofer.
The CSU politician spoke of an "ugly blood trail" that right-wing extremists from the National Socialist underground (NSU) would have drawn right up to the attack on the synagogue in Halle. Meanwhile, half of the politically motivated bodily harm is due to right-wing extremists, he said.
"An effective, noticeable, successful fight against right-wing extremism can only be carried out by these authorities if we increase their staff significantly," said Seehofer. That is why the new units at the Federal Criminal Police Office and the Office for the Protection of the Constitution are necessary. He also announced that his ministry is preparing to ban other extremist organizations.
Extra department for new rights
The Office for the Protection of the Constitution, Thomas Haldenwang, pointed out that the situation had been worsening for months. "We have to position ourselves much more broadly in the fight against right-wing extremism." In addition to the well-known structures such as parties and comradeships, the new rights must be increasingly targeted. He called the "Identitarian Movement" as well as the "Young Alternative" and the "Wing" in the AfD.
A new department for these organizations will be set up at the Federal Office, said the head of the Office for the Protection of the Constitution. In addition, there was a presentation on corresponding trends in the Bundeswehr.
Haldenwang also mentioned the central office for cases of right-wing extremism in the public service that was set up in the summer. Obviously, these are isolated cases - but it still has to be checked whether there are also networks.
The President of the Office for the Protection of the Constitution also mentioned his house's information telephone on right-wing extremism, which has received a four-digit number of information since the end of October. Haldenwang referred to the catalog of measures that the constitutional protection authorities of the federal and state governments had agreed on. The Federal Office will soon coordinate cross-border risk issues.
BKA President Holger Münch referred to the work in the Joint Terror Defense Center (GTAZ) and the analysis tool "Radar" for the classification of supporters of the extreme right-wing scene. In addition, there are case conferences at which expert opinions on individual suspects are discussed. In addition, the investigative capacities would be expanded.
Authorities are known to 48 right-wing extremists
According to Munich's information, 48 right-wing extremists and 126 "relevant persons" are currently known to the authorities from the spectrum. He announced a review of this number - which the Green politician Irene Mihalic also urged. "It is very questionable whether there should still be only 48 perpetrators in Germany with more than 12,000 right-wing extremists who are ready to use violence, and this needs to be checked again," said the Greens interior expert Mihalic to the AFP news agency.
"With a conversion of the federal authorities, Horst Seehofer only delivers the small litter," criticized Benjamin Strasser, FDP interior expert. "Our security architecture as a whole needs an update to the 21st century. This can only be done together with the federal and state governments."