
Germany designates populist AfD as far-right ‘extremists'
Germany is free to step up state surveillance of Alternative for Germany (AfD) politicians after the party was classified as having 'guaranteed right-wing extremist intentions' by the country's domestic intelligence service (BfV).
On Friday the BfV said it had passed on this recommendation to the federal interior ministry as part of a 1,100-page report on the party.
Classifying the entire AfD as extremist lowers the legal threshold for the BfV to carry out – or expand – its electronic surveillance of party officials and creates more secure legal grounds for deploying paid informers inside party organisations.
Excerpts from the classified report, released by the BfV, describes AfD politics as 'incompatible' with Germany's 'free democratic order', in particular for the party's 'ongoing' agitation against refugees and migrants.
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BfV vice-president Sinan Selen said the organisation had reached its conclusions after three years studying AfD position papers and remarks by party leaders as well as 'new organisational developments', in particular the decline of its once-dominant conservative-liberal faction and the rise of its far-right wing.
'Decisive for our assessment is the AfD's ethnic-based understanding of the population,' the BfV said, 'which denigrates entire population groups in Germany and violates their human dignity. This understanding of the population is reflected in the party's overall anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim stance.'
Outgoing federal interior minister Nancy Faeser said the domestic intelligence agency had been given a 'clear legal mandate to take action against extremism and protect our democracy'. She said the assessment had been carried out 'with no political influence whatsoever', noting that publication of the report was postponed from earlier this year for fear of interfering in February's snap federal election.
Three months on from that poll, in advance of next week's federal government swearing-in, opinion polls show the AfD has gained an additional five points' support and is now Germany's most popular party with 26 per cent backing.
AfD co-leaders Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla attacked the BfV conclusion as defamatory and 'a serious blow to German democracy' and 'targeted interference in the democratic decision-making process that is clearly politically motivated'.
News of Friday's classification has revived demands for the AfD to be banned outright.
Germany's incoming federal interior minister Alexander Dobrindt, whose job it would be to initiate any such procedure, declined to be drawn on a ban on Friday. But he said it was likely that German courts would soon confirm the BfV assessment.
For Daniel Günther, state premier of the north-western state of Schleswig-Holstein, the BfV assessment was 'no surprise, but it brings clarity'.
Mr Günther, a senior centre-right
Christian Democrat (CDU)
politician, said the AfD 'is a threat to our free and democratic basic order and it endangers our social peace'.
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The Irish Sun
15 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Meet London-based ‘Hamas operative' behind Greta Thunberg's ‘Freedom Flotilla' stunt that was foiled by Israel
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Just a week ago, Mr Birawi was present at the launch of Madleen and live-streamed the event from a dock in Sicily. He called himself the 'founding member' of the Freedom Flotilla International Coalition - which arranged Madleen's voyage to Gaza. The 'selfie yacht' has now been seized by Israel, and all the people onboard have been detained. Labour MP Christian Wakeford named Mr Birawi in the Commons using special parliamentary protections that protect him from being sued. Mr Birawi said Mr Wakeford's claim was 'baseless' and that he was looking at 'all available legal recourse' in response to the MP's comments. According to Israel's strategic affairs ministry, Mr Birawi moved to the UK in the 1990s, has 'close ties to Hamas' and worked for several pro-Palestinian NGOs - including one tied to Hamas. Most read in The Sun In 2023, The Sun on Sunday revealed Mr Birawi lived in a £500,000 semi-detached house in leafy north London. 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He said: 'I have been made aware of the fact that the Member of Parliament for Bury South, Christian Wakefield, made a reference to my name in the proceedings of the House of Commons on October 26. 'Regrettably, this mention appears to have been motivated by an intent to besmirch my character and, potentially, to rationalise any harm that may befall me or my family. 'In a time when we should all exercise vigilance and contemplate the potential consequences of our words, particularly their capacity to incite violence and animosity, Mr Wakefield chose a contrary course of action. 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The 'selfie yacht' operated by the pro-Palestinian Freedom Flotilla Coalition was said to be "safely making its way to the shores of Israel", Israel's Foreign Minsitry said. All passengers were safe and unharmed and activists handed out sandwiches and water before the vessel docked at the southern Israeli port of Ashdod. The boat was carrying a "tiny amount of aid" on board - which will be sent to Gaza. Israeli defence minister Israel Katz said that he has instructed the Israeli Defence Forces to screen footage of the 7 October attacks as soon as they arrive. Who is on board the "Freedom Flotilla"? Greta Thunberg - Swedish climate activist Rima Hassan – French-Palestinian MEP Yasemin Acar – German activist Thiago Avila – Brazilian activist Omar Faiad – French journalist Pascal Maurieras – French activist Yanis Mhamdi – French reporter Suayb Ordu – Turkish activist Sergio Toribio – Spanish activist Marco van Rennes – Dutch activist Reva Viard – French activist Liam Cunningham - Irish Game of Thrones actor Baptiste Andre - French Physician The disturbing footage - titled "Bearing Witness" - shows innocent people being massacred and mutilated. And all the footage was taken from the Hamas terrorists' bodycams as they filmed their massacre. Hamas branded the interception of the yacht as a "crime of piracy". Read more on the Irish Sun The group said in a statement that activists were on a "humanitarian mission aimed at breaking the siege on the Gaza Strip and exposing the crime of mass starvation." 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Irish Examiner
20 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
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Irish Examiner
a day ago
- Irish Examiner
News photographer hit by non-lethal bullets during LA protests
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