German intelligence agency to be headed by a Turkish-born security specialist
In a significant move, Germany is set to appoint Sinan Selen as the new president of its domestic intelligence agency, the Bundesamt für Verfassungsschutz (BfV). The decision, expected to be formalized on September 17, follows the resignation of Thomas Haldenwang in November 2024.
Sinan Selen, a counterterrorism expert with expertise in international terrorism and religious extremism, began his security career at the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) in 2000. He rose through the ranks, serving on a BKA task force investigating the Hamburg connections of the perpetrators of the 9/11 attacks in the U.S.
From 2006 to 2009, Selen headed the "Foreign Terrorism and Foreign Extremism" department at the Federal Ministry of the Interior. During this time, he led the operation to track down suspects after bombs were discovered in suitcases on trains in Cologne and Koblenz.
After leaving the Federal Ministry of the Interior, Selen joined the BfV, where he has served as vice president since January 2019. His appointment as the president of the BfV is expected to take place on September 15, according to public broadcaster ARD.
Born in Istanbul, Selen moved to Germany with his family at the age of four. He completed his law degree at the University of Cologne.
Thomas Haldenwang, Selen's predecessor, pursued a parliamentary seat with Chancellor Friedrich Merz's Christian Democrats (CDU). However, he failed to win a seat in the general elections held in February.
Sinan Selen's political ambitions are not mentioned in this paragraph. The appointment of Selen as the new president of the BfV marks a significant shift in Germany's domestic security landscape, with a focus on counterterrorism and the fight against religious extremism.
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