An “early reconnaissance unit” will be created to detect potential threats from far-right networks as early as possible. The prerogatives of investigators should be extended, in particular to freeze the financing of these networks.
Germany’s top security official said Tuesday she wants to make it easier to trace far-right funding and plans to set up a “early recognition unit” to detect disinformation campaigns coming from the extreme right, but also from abroad, as early as possible.
The proposals of the Federal Minister of the Interior, Nancy Faeser, follow the large demonstrations against the extreme right which have taken place in the country in recent weeks after the revelations which had the effect of an electric shock for society German.
On January 10, the media Correctiv revealed the organization of a meeting last November in Potsdam to discuss a project of “remigration” of “non-assimilated citizens”, or in concrete terms the expulsion of millions of immigrants from Germany, including German citizens. In addition to activists close to the neo-Nazi movement and Austrian identitarians, several executives from the far-right Alternative for Germany party were present at the meeting.
Targeting the finances of far-right networks
Germany’s domestic intelligence agency says the number of right-wing extremists is increasing. In 2022, it reached 38,800, of which 14,000 are considered potentially violent. The agency’s director, Thomas Haldenwang, said these figures would have increased further last year.
Nancy Faeser said efforts to end extremist funding have been hampered by the fact that financial investigations are limited to movements “inciting and violence-oriented“. She suggested that the law be changed so that the “threat potential“of a group is a reason for investigation, and that the procedures are faster and less bureaucratic.”No one who donates to a far-right organization should be able to count on not being discovered.
Nancy Faeser added that she was working with regional authorities to prevent right-wing extremists from entering or leaving the country. “German right-wing extremists and foreign autocrats have one thing in common: they want to stoke anger and divide, especially through disinformation“, declared the federal minister.
She said fake accounts and, increasingly, photos and videos generated by artificial intelligence were a problem.
L'”early recognition unit“, based at the Ministry of the Interior, should start working”in some months“, she said, emphasizing the importance of quickly detecting manipulation and influence campaigns.