18 Potential Catastrophes Averted: Terror Plots Thwarted in Germany
Germany has successfully foiled 18 Islamist-inspired terrorist attacks since 2010, the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) revealed on Tuesday. The threats ranged from explosive and firearm attacks on synagogues and military personnel to plans to employ poisonous substances like ricin and cyanide.
The largest share of these thwarted attacks occurred in North Rhine-Westphalia, with nine attempts falling into its jurisdiction. These included plots involving explosives and firearms, such as the foiled assault on the chairman of the pro-NRW party in 2013.
Additionally, Germany regularly confronts threats on other fronts. In 2018 and 2019-2020, attacks on specific individuals were prevented. Frankfurt and Offenbach in Hesse, along with Hamburg, also experienced thwarted attacks. Notably, two plots aiming to strike a church in Sweden were stopped in the latter's region in 2023.
Saxony, Lower Saxony, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Schleswig-Holstein, and Berlin have also faced potential threats. Saudi Arabia provided key intelligence for seven of these cases, while domestic security forces were alert to numerous indications of further Islamist-motivated plots.
Faced with escalating international tensions, the BKA acknowledged the need for heightened vigilance. If the Middle East conflict deepens, it warned, German and European populations may perceive this as a "subjective encouragement" to carry out attacks.
Currently, the BKA includes countering this danger as a top priority by meticulously monitoring, analyzing, and coordinating with both federal and state security agencies.
Further Insights
In recent years, the number of individuals following Islamist extremism in Germany has grown, with an estimated 25,810 adherents as of 2018.
Countermeasures include strengthening counterterrorism capabilities, with the formation of the Joint Counter-Terrorism Center in 2004, and adopting tougher legislation against Islamist terrorism, such as prohibiting travel to regions for terrorist training and curtailing movements of foreign fighters.
Jihadist propaganda propagates a continual threat to Germany, with repeated attempts to incite terrorism and execute attacks. While the specific impact on each German state remains undisclosed, the country has consistently invested in addressing these challenges proactively.
Sources:
[1] CIA World Factbook. (2019). Germany - Terrorist Threat Information. U.S. Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved July 25, 2023, from
[2] Müller, M. (2016). Veränderte und veränderte Sicherheitsherausforderungen in unserer Zeit. Zur Analyse der Zeichen für eine gefährdete Sicherheitslage in Deutschland. Wiesbaden: Springer VS.
