Security officials estimate that there are around 10,000 radical islamists living in Germany…
On Saturday, authorities in Germany closed down a large shopping mall in the city of Essen because of credible concerns of a possible terrorist attack. German police have captured two men in connection with the threats. While one was released, the other remained in custody for questioning. According to local reports, plans for the attack came from a man known to German authorities as having travelled to Syria and fought for the ISIS terrorist group. The suspect used an online instant messaging service to recruit members for an attack on the mall. He also sent instructions on how to make bombs.
There was also a possible threat of attack at a nightclub elsewhere in Germany over the weekend. The entire country of Germany has been on high alert ever since the attack on a Berlin Christmas market in December that claimed 12 lives. Prior to that, there were also other attacks within Germany that were claimed by the terrorist group ISIS. Many critics point to Chancellor Angela Merkel’s immigration policy as being responsible for the amount of radical islamist terror acts. Some believe that she has opened the doors of Germany for terrorists to operate freely. In any case, it seems that the people of Germany are on high alert.
This includes citizens who have expressed a growing concern over the amount of terrorist attacks that have occurred since refugees were allowed to enter the country in large amounts. Even more troubling, security officials in Germany estimate that there are around 10,000 radical islamists living in Germany with about 1600 of those being capable of violence. Those statistics are alarming for people who reside within communities that host refugees. Recently, police in Germany have also carried out raids in search of terrorist activity and have found evidence of not only recruiting, but plans to carry out attacks in the name of ISIS.
Many of those suspected also have ties to Syria or have travelled recently to Syria. It makes people feel a little less safe to know that these are the types of immigrants who travel to Germany to take advantage of their hospitality. There are a significant number of American citizens and service members who are hosted by Germany as well. President Donald Trump is not popular in Germany mainly because of his immigration policies. President Trump was also hailed by ISIS for his travel ban because they felt as though it would usher in another era of Muslims turning their backs on the United States and thinking that the country is evil.
American citizens living abroad face attacks motivated by this rhetoric, as does any American no matter where they reside. In the age of technology and social media, it’s not hard to identify where these terrorists can find intended targets. Hopefully the German police can continue their hard work and stay on top of these threats. The authorities have been at it pretty hard ever since December and have made the safety of those residing in Germany top priority.
Angelina Newsom is an OpsLens Contributor and U.S. Army Veteran. She has ten years experience in the military, including a deployment to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. She studies Criminal Justice and is still active within the military community.
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