Increased Requests for BAMF's Radicalization Advisory Service
In recent years, there has been a notable shift in the number of Islamist suspects being officially investigated by the Federal Criminal Office. The number of such suspects decreased from 730 in 2018 to 620 as of October, according to official reports.
However, this decrease in investigations has not equated to a decline in Islamist activity in Germany. In fact, the country has witnessed three Islamist attacks in Waldkraiburg, Berlin, and Dresden.
To combat the rising concern, the nationwide network of counseling centers has been instrumental in providing support. Since 2012, these centers have handled over 2,600 counseling cases, as reported by the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF).
In 2019, the radicalization counseling center at BAMF received a total of 174 requests. The fourth quarter of 2020 saw a significant increase in counseling requests, attributed to recent attack incidents in France, Germany, and Austria.
This surge in demand for counseling services can be partially attributed to the ongoing corona pandemic. With social distancing measures in place, counseling is now taking place more frequently by phone and online.
The radicalization counseling center serves as a first-point of contact for those seeking advice whose surroundings may have a person who has become Islamist radicalized. In initial conversations, staff members determine the concerns of those seeking advice and offer initial assistance. Subsequently, they forward cases to a counseling center in the respective federal state as needed.
Since the beginning of 2020, the radicalization counseling center at BAMF has received 186 inquiries on their hotline. Since its launch in 2012, the hotline of the counseling center has received nearly 4,600 calls, with nearly 1,200 cases referred to the network of counseling centers for further support.
Unfortunately, the number of Islamist attacks in Germany has not been confined to just the recent past. In Dresden, a man was stabbed to death by a Syrian refugee in a tragic incident.
It's worth noting that the number of ratification requests to the council discussion office of the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees in 2021 was less than half of those in 2019, mainly due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, including travel restrictions and reduced migration movements.
Despite the decrease in ratification requests, the need for the radicalization counseling center remains crucial in addressing the ongoing concerns related to Islamist radicalization in Germany.
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