Germany Grants Operational Powers to Intelligence Agencies Amid Backlash

The German government has decided to significantly expand the powers of its domestic and foreign intelligence agencies under the pretext of countering terrorism and various covert operations.

According to outlets including the daily Süddeutsche Zeitung (SZ), the federal cabinet approved reform plans on the 12th (local time) for both the domestic intelligence agency, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV), and the foreign intelligence service, the Federal Intelligence Service (BND).

The legislation grants operational powers to domestic and foreign intelligence agencies that have previously focused solely on intelligence collection.

Beyond wiretapping and interception, domestic intelligence will be able to infiltrate the residences of individuals suspected of being spies or terrorists.

For example, preventive operations will become possible, such as secretly entering a terrorist's home to replace explosive materials with harmless powder.

Intelligence agencies will be granted the authority to extensively collect, store, and analyze artificial intelligence (AI) big data and biometric data.

They will also be able to infiltrate the computers and mobile phones of suspected individuals to monitor online messenger chats and install spyware for surveillance.

Abroad, proactive hacking of IT infrastructure will be permitted to block cyberattacks and other threats.

The government explained, "We can take active measures, such as infiltrating the IT systems of chemical weapon or drone factories to disrupt production or neutralizing the servers of state-backed hacker groups."

It is also possible to disrupt payment networks to thwart various sabotage operations orchestrated by Russia using cryptocurrency to pay local "one-off agents" in Europe.

Under special threat conditions, sabotage operations abroad will also be permitted.

The government has also decided to amend the War Weapons Control Act to allow BND agents to take weapons out of the country.

However, the killing of human beings will not be permitted.

The intelligence agency reforms stem from the assessment that the powers of German agencies are too limited compared to the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) or Israel's Mossad, making it difficult to respond to terrorism and covert operations or cooperate with foreign intelligence authorities.

Nina Schargelig, head of the Chancellery, stated, "We can no longer solely rely on the support of friendly foreign agencies," adding, "Moving forward, the BND will be able to operate on an equal footing with our partners to protect our security, values, and freedom."

Germany had previously limited the powers of its domestic and foreign intelligence agencies and placed them under strict parliamentary control out of reflection on the Nazi Gestapo (Secret State Police) and East Germany's Stasi (Ministry for State Security), which were symbols of dictatorship and state violence.

They only passed on generated intelligence to law enforcement agencies such as the police and held no operational authority.

However, following the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, as Germany became the target of various operations suspected of being backed by Russia, voices calling for the strengthening of intelligence agencies grew louder.

When an incident occurred earlier this month at Leipzig/Halle Airport where a drone loaded with explosives struck a Ukrainian cargo plane, Marc Henrichmann, chairman of the parliamentary committee overseeing intelligence services, argued that proactive operations against Russian drone manufacturers were necessary.

Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said, "We are targeted every single day by espionage, sabotage, cyberattacks, and covert operations by foreign powers," and added, "We will transform the intelligence service into a true secret intelligence agency."

However, resistance to state intelligence control and the expansion of espionage agency powers is not insignificant.

Wolfgang Kubicki, deputy leader of the Free Democratic Party (FDP), stated, "A historical taboo has been broken," adding, "I do not want a secret police in Germany."

Ulrich Thoden, defense policy spokesperson for the Left Party, remarked regarding the current role of the intelligence agencies, "It is a bitter lesson learned from our history, especially the Gestapo."

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※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.