VZCZCXRO0682
RR RUEHAG RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLZ RUEHROV RUEHSL RUEHSR
DE RUEHRL #1172/01 2641659
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 211659Z SEP 09
FM AMEMBASSY BERLIN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5262
INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RUCNFRG/FRG COLLECTIVE
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 0536
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 0662
RUEHKP/AMCONSUL KARACHI 0037
RUEHPW/AMCONSUL PESHAWAR 0038
RUEHRL/USDAO BERLIN GE
RUKAAKA/USAREUR ACE DARMSTADT GE
RUKAAKC/UDITDUSAREUR HEIDELBERG GE
RUCXONI/ONI WASHINGTON DC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RUEKJCS/HQ USEUCOM LO WASHINGTON DC
RHMFIUU/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RHMFIUU/HQ USAFE RAMSTEIN AB GE
RHEFHLC/HOMELAND SECURITY CENTER WASHINGTON DC
RHMCSUU/FBI WASHINGTON DC
RHMFIUU/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BERLIN 001172 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EUR AND S/CT 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PTER PREL PGOV PHUM KIRF KISL GM
SUBJECT: SECURITY SERVICES ON ALERT AFTER AL QAIDA VIDEOS 
THREATEN GERMANY 
 
REF: BERLIN 862 
 
BERLIN 00001172  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1. SUMMARY:  German security services are on alert following 
the appearance of two new Al Qaida videos featuring a dual 
German-Moroccan citizen who threatens Germany with 
repercussions if German voters do not vote in the upcoming 
federal elections for a new government that will withdraw 
German forces from Afghanistan.  The threats are reminiscent 
of the 11 March 2004 terrorist attacks in Madrid that 
reportedly influenced the Spanish parliamentary elections and 
ultimately led to a withdrawal of Spanish military forces 
from Iraq.  German authorities are taking the threat very 
seriously and have increased their presence at airports, 
train stations, and other public venues.  End Summary. 
 
 
¶2. On September 18, media reported on the appearance of a 
27-minute long video entitled "Security - a Shared Fate" on 
multiple Islamist extremist websites featuring Bekay Harrach, 
a 32-year old dual German-Moroccan citizen.  Harrach has 
appeared in several Al Qaida videos over the past year and 
security authorities believe he is located in the 
Afghanistan-Pakistan border regions.  Speaking in German, 
Harrach states that "If the people choose to continue the 
war, they have passed judgment on themselves.  The 
parliamentary election is the only opportunity for the people 
to influence its country's politics.  When the last German 
solider is withdrawn from Afghanistan, the last mujahedeen 
will be withdrawn from Germany."  Harrach continues: "If, 
however, the German people do not want to induce the majority 
of the parties up for election to withdraw the soldiers from 
Afghanistan, then there will be a terrible awakening after 
the election." 
 
 
¶3. German security services are taking this most recent 
threat very seriously and have further added to already 
enhanced pre-election security measures.  Federal Interior 
Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble warned a security conference in 
Berlin last week of the danger of attacks ahead of the 
election and, following the appearance of the video, the 
Interior Ministry released a statement indicating that the 
security services are on a higher state of alert because of 
the election.  A police spokesperson added that "Al Qaida's 
direct threats to Germany have taken on a new quality since 
the beginning of the year."  In response to indications of 
increased activity and travel among terrorist suspects in the 
past months, the government implemented a number of new 
security measures earlier this summer.  The measures, which 
are similar to some of those put in place for the 2006 World 
Cup, include enhanced passenger checks at airports, increased 
surveillance of suspected Islamists, and outreach to colleges 
and universities to identify signs of radicalization (see 
reftel). 
 
¶4. On September 20, media reported on the appearance of a 
second video featuring Harrach.  The second video is 40 
minutes long and entitled "Oh Allah, I love you."  The video 
does not contain specific threats to Germany or any other 
country, rather it calls upon Muslims to "free themselves 
from sin" by joining and supporting jihad against western 
occupiers in Afghanistan. 
 
 
¶5. Media quoted Interior Minister Schaeuble as warning 
against a change in the country's policies on Afghanistan, 
saying the Bundeswehr's presence there is not the cause of 
terrorist attacks.  SPD parliamentarian Dieter Wiefelspuetz 
said such threats will not change Germany's Afghanistan 
policy: "We will not allow anybody to bomb us in a certain 
 
BERLIN 00001172  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
direction." 
Murphy