New powers for German intelligence services
The Federal Intelligence Service and the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution are to be reformed. Their capabilities for active response to attacks are to be enhanced.
Berlin (dpa, d.de) – The German intelligence services are to be granted significantly broader powers to enable them to fight terrorism, extremism, espionage and sabotage more effectively. A reform to this effect has been drawn up for the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (Bundesamt für Verfassungsschutz, BfV) and the Federal Intelligence Service (Bundesnachrichtendienst, BND).
So far, these services have been focussing on information gathering and analysis. The reform is designed to grant them additional powers to enable practical intervention in certain cases. Planning provides for the BND to be put in the position to manipulate the IT infrastructure of a foreign actor in the event of an ongoing cyber or disinformation attack against Germany. Furthermore, the BND is to be granted the power to continue computer and network surveillance in Germany that was started abroad under specific circumstances, if a foreign agent is in Germany temporarily. At the same time, monitoring of the intelligence services is to be enhanced.
“We are going to respond in new ways to the hybrid threat situation and attempts to destabilise us through sabotage, espionage, cyber attacks and covert activities of foreign powers,” Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said. He added that the reform was “turning our intelligence services into true secret services” and that it was high time our services became competitive and were brought up to par with those of our international partners.
