VZCZCXRO1684
RR RUEHIK
DE RUEHRL #0009/01 0061330
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 061330Z JAN 10
FM AMEMBASSY BERLIN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6194
INFO RUCNFRG/FRG COLLECTIVE
RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEILB/NCTC WASHINGTON DC
RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHINGTON DC
RHEFHLC/HOMELAND SECURITY CENTER WASHINGTON DC
RHMFIUU/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHINGTON DC
RHMCSUU/FBI WASHINGTON DC
RUCXONI/ONI WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 BERLIN 000009 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE PASS S/CT, EUR/CE, EUR/PGI, L, INR AND NCTC 
 
TAGS: PTER ASEC PGOV PREL GM
SUBJECT: GERMANY: COUNTRY REPORTS ON TERRORISM 2009 
 
REFERENCE: 2009 STATE 109980 
 
BERLIN 00000009  001.2 OF 003 
 
 
¶1. Begin text of report: 
 
German security officials stress that Islamist-inspired terrorism is 
the greatest threat to German security and they estimate that 
roughly 185 individuals have undergone paramilitary training over 
the past ten years at Islamist extremist training centers located 
primarily in the border regions of Afghanistan and Pakistan. 
Approximately 90 of these individuals have returned to Germany and 
15 of them are currently in custody.  In 2009, Germany investigated, 
arrested, and prosecuted numerous terrorism suspects and disrupted 
terrorist-related groups within its borders with connections to 
international Islamist, Kurdish nationalist, and Marxist-Leninist 
terrorist organizations.  Two new legislative packages entered into 
force in 2009 that strengthened Germany's counterterrorism legal 
framework and provided security officials with new powers of 
investigation. 
 
Throughout the year, a number of Islamist-inspired terrorist 
organizations (including the Islamic Jihad Union (IJU), al-Qa'ida, 
and the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan) released a series of videos 
featuring German speakers who threatened terrorist attacks in 
Germany or against German interests abroad.  In a number of 
instances, the identities of the individuals appearing in the videos 
are known and include German-Moroccan dual citizens Bekkay Harrach, 
Mounir Chouka, and Yassin Chouka.  German citizen Eric Breininger, 
who is believed to be located in the Afghanistan-Pakistan border 
region, also appeared in a number of IJU propaganda videos. 
 
During the summer, the frequency of the extremist video and audio 
messages increased and threatened Germany with attacks if the 
government did not withdraw its military forces from Afghanistan. 
Security officials interpreted the videos as an attempt to influence 
the September 27 national elections.  The threats led German police 
to take heightened security measures at airports, railway stations, 
and other public sites.  On November 13, the Stuttgart district 
court sentenced an ethnic Turkish man to six months in jail for 
breach of the peace after he posted one of the extremist videos 
featuring Bekkay Harrach on YouTube. 
 
On January 1, new legislation went into effect that broadened the 
powers of the Federal Office of Criminal Investigation (BKA) in 
counterterrorism investigations.  The law provided the BKA with 
preventative investigatory powers and gave the BKA lead 
responsibility in terrorism investigations in which the threat 
extends across multiple federal states, in which state-level 
competence is unclear, or in which state officials request federal 
assistance. 
 
On August 4, a second legislative package entered into force that 
made significant amendments to the German Criminal Code and 
criminalized a range of terrorism-related preparatory actions such 
as participating in terrorist training or acquiring weapons/bombs 
with the intent to commit attacks that endanger the German state. 
The amendments also outlaw the distribution and acquisition of bomb 
making and similar instruction materials if the intent is to 
motivate individuals to commit violent crimes.  Establishing contact 
with a terrorist group with the intent of receiving training to 
commit attacks is also outlawed. 
 
A high profile trial of the four individuals belonging to the IJU 
cell arrested in Sauerland in 2007 began on April 22.  The 
defendants are charged with membership in a foreign terrorist 
organization, preparation of a serious criminal offense involving 
explosives, and other violations.  The defendants gave comprehensive 
testimony that included descriptions of their training at terrorist 
camps in North Waziristan, Pakistan.  The trial is expected to 
conclude in 2010. 
 
German courts also began trials or reached verdicts in other notable 
counterterrorism cases: 
 
- On October 13, the Frankfurt Higher Regional Court sentenced Omid 
Shirkani, a German citizen of Afghan background, to two years and 
nine months in prison, and co-defendant Huseyin Ozgun, a Turkish 
citizen, to one year and two months in prison on charges of 
supporting a foreign terrorist organization (IJU) and violating the 
Foreign Trade Act.  The two participated in terrorism training in 
Pakistan and supported the IJU with financing and paramilitary 
equipment. 
 
BERLIN 00000009  002.2 OF 003 
 
 
 
- On July 13, the Koblenz Higher Regional Court sentenced Aleem 
Nasir, a German citizen of Pakistani origin, to eight years 
imprisonment for membership in a foreign terrorist organization 
(al-Qa'ida) and multiple counts of violating the Foreign Trade Act. 
Nasir recruited personnel and provided money and military equipment 
to al-Qa'ida. 
 
- In July, the Dusseldorf Higher Regional Court found H|seyin Acar, 
a leading member of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), guilty of 
being the ring-leader of a criminal organization and of coordinating 
PKK actions in Germany.  The Court sentenced Acar to three years and 
nine months in prison. 
 
- On August 12, the Frankfurt Higher Regional Court found Aslan Y., 
a Turkish citizen of Kurdish origin, guilty of membership in a 
terrorist organization (PKK) and multiple cases of arson, sentencing 
him to four years imprisonment.  Aslan Y. was a PKK leader in 
southern Germany between 1993 and 1994 and ordered multiple arson 
attacks on Turkish targets in Germany such as clubs, restaurants and 
businesses in which one person died. 
 
- On April 8, the Frankfurt Higher Regional Court upheld the 2008 
sentencing of Muzaffer Ayata, a Turkish citizen, to three years and 
six months in prison on charges of being a leader of a criminal 
organization (PKK). 
 
- On September 14, the Koblenz Higher Regional Court began the trial 
of Sermet Ilgen, a German citizen, and Vmer Vzdemir, a Turkish 
citizen, who are charged with membership in a foreign terrorist 
organization (al-Qa'ida) and violations of the Foreign Trade Act. 
The two are accused of having participated in terrorist training at 
camps in Pakistan and to have provided al-Qa'ida with funding and 
equipment. 
 
- On January 15, the Dusseldorf Higher Regional Court began the 
trial of five individuals suspected of membership in the 
Revolutionary People's Liberation Party - Front (DHKP-C), a 
left-wing terrorist organization that seeks to overthrow the Turkish 
government and replace it with a Marxist-Leninist regime. 
 
During the year, German law enforcement authorities arrested a 
number of individuals suspected of involvement in terrorism. 
Prominent new actions and arrests included: 
 
- The BKA arrested Adnan Vatandas, a Turkish-German man suspected of 
supporting al-Qa'ida by distributing Internet propaganda and 
instructions on bomb-making. 
 
- On December 9, prosecutors in Dusseldorf filed charges against 
Nurhan E., a Turkish woman, for membership in a terrorist 
organization (DHKP-C). 
 
- On December 15, police arrested Sinan B., a German citizen of 
Turkish descent, on suspicion of attempted arson, membership in a 
terrorist organization (DHKP-C) and conspiracy to commit homicide. 
Sinan B. is alleged to have participated in the firebombings of two 
Turkish banks in Germany in 1995. 
 
German security officials conducted investigations of a number of 
individuals and organizations suspected of supporting 
Islamist-inspired extremist organizations.  Prominent investigations 
in this area include: 
 
- On March 10-11 police and security agencies searched multiple 
apartments, offices, and premises of associations in Germany 
(Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia and Berlin) and Belgium at the 
request of the Munich Prosecutor's office.  The agencies are 
investigating the activities of ten people who are suspected of 
having formed a criminal association directed at committing crimes 
in order to acquire funds to pursue Islamist-inspired political 
goals. 
 
- The North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) state prosecutor has initiated a 
criminal investigation on charges of forming a criminal 
organization, fraud and other crimes against two Islamist 
organizations with headquarters in NRW: "Milli Gr|s" (IGMG), in 
Kerpen, and the "Islamic Community Germany" (IGD) in Cologne. 
 
- On July 4, 180 Bremen police officers raided an alleged meeting of 
European Islamists at the "Family and Culture Association" in 
 
BERLIN 00000009  003.2 OF 003 
 
 
Bremen-Groepelingen.  The Association is headed by Ren Marc Sepac, 
who is under observation by German domestic intelligence services 
and suspected of supporting the Global Islamic Media Front (GIMF) 
and having contacts with al-Qa'ida. 
 
- On October 7, Berlin police searched 26 apartments during an 
investigation of a group of alleged Islamists possibly planning 
terrorist attacks in Russia.  Authorities seized computers and other 
items and investigators found evidence that some individuals 
associated with the group had left Germany in order to undergo 
training in extremist camps in Pakistan. 
 
Germany remained a strong advocate of the UNSCR 1267 
al-Qa'ida/Taliban financial sanctions regime and proposed a number 
of individuals to the committee for designation. 
 
The German government continued its outreach and engagement with 
Muslim communities to promote integration and tolerance.  The 
Ministry of Interior continued the German Islam Conference 
initiative that it began in 2006 and held a plenary meeting in June 
that released a new study entitled "Muslim Life in Germany."  The 
conference is made up of several working groups that meet on a 
regular basis to discuss issues relevant to Muslims living in 
Germany such as education, religious instruction, separation of 
religion and state, mosque construction, and strengthening relations 
between Muslim communities and the media and business sectors.  One 
forum within the Conference focuses on improving cooperation between 
security authorities and the Muslim community in order to address 
radicalization and extremism. 
 
Implementation discussions continued regarding a bilateral 
U.S.-German agreement to strengthen fingerprint and DNA information 
sharing to combat terrorism and serious crime.  The U.S. Embassy's 
Law Enforcement Working Group continued its ongoing engagement with 
state-level law enforcement contacts by organizing four security 
conferences throughout Germany in which the topic of Islamist 
terrorism featured prominently. 
 
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Federal Ministry 
of Interior continued their strategic dialogue and held a 
Deputies-chaired conference in June to strengthen cooperation across 
a range of counterterrorism-related issues.  Germany participated in 
the DHS Customs and Border Protection's Container Security 
Initiative in the ports of Hamburg and Bremerhaven and supported DHS 
Customs and Border Protection's Immigration Advisory Program 
operating at the Frankfurt Airport.  The DHS Transportation Security 
Administration's presence in Frankfurt, together with U.S. and 
German air marshals, formed key parts of bilateral efforts to 
provide air transport security for the seven German airports with 
flights to the United States. 
 
As a country participating in the Visa Waiver Program (VWP), Germany 
continued to comply with requirements in the VWP law related to 
information sharing and other law enforcement and counterterrorism 
cooperation.  This cooperation was further enhanced by the 
Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007. 
 
End text of report. 
 
¶2. Embassy point of contact for this report is Econ/Global 
Affairs Officer David Fisher.  Email: FISHERDL@state.gov 
 
DELAWIE