Latest news with #HolgerMünch
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Yahoo
Germany updates: Police chief warns of youth radicalization
The head of Germany's Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA), Holger Münch, has told newspapers that some young people are organizing themselves in groups to commit "serious crimes" after being radicalized by far-right ideologies. His remarks come after German police this week cracked down on a far-right extremist cell with members as young as 14. Train services at Hamburg's main station are meanwhile back to normal after 18 people were injured on Friday in a knife attack by a female suspect. This is a roundup of the top news stories from Germany on May 24, 2025. Train services at Hamburg's main station have resumed normal operations after a knife attack on Friday that left 18 injured, a spokeswoman for train operator Deutsche Bahn told the DPA news agency. A 39-year-old woman was arrested at the scene on suspicion of carrying out the attack. She is to come before a magistrate on Saturday. Four of the 18 wounded suffered life-threatening inuries, while six were seriously hurt, officials said. So far, police do not believe the attack was politically or ideologically motivated but was rather the result of some kind of psychological distress on the part of the attacker. The head of Germany's Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA), Holger Münch, has warned that young people within right-wing extremist circles are becoming increasingly radicalized. "For about a year, we've increasingly seen very young people with right-wing views becoming more radicalized and forming, at times, well-organized groups to carry out serious crimes," Münch told the Funke media group of newspapers in remarks published on Saturday. He said the internet was a major factor aiding the far-right scene to spread its network. "Radicalization, recruitment and mobilization increasingly happen via social networks and right-wing forums," Münch said. The BKA head said right-wing crime was posing a "major challenge" to security agencies but that general society also had a big role to play in reducing the threat. His remarks follow the arrests this week of five male suspects aged 14 to 18 who were members of a far-right extremist cell alleged to have plotted violent attacks on migrants. The head of Germany's federal crime agency, Holger Münch, has told newspapers that young people are increasingly falling under the thrall of far-right extremist ideologies, with some prepared to commit "serious crimes." Meanwhile, train services at the main station in the northern port city of Hamburg have resumed full operations after disruption caused on Friday by a knife attack carried out by a suspected female assailant in which several were injured. DW's Bonn newsroom keeps you up to speed with the latest headlines from Germany at a time when Europe's economic powerhouse is facing several major challenges from within and abroad.
DW
24-05-2025
- DW
Germany updates: Police chief warns of youth radicalization – DW – 05/24/2025
The head of Germany's Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA), Holger Münch, has told newspapers that some young people are organizing themselves in groups to commit "serious crimes" after being radicalized by far-right ideologies. His remarks come after German police this week cracked down on a far-right extremist cell with members as young as 14. Train services at Hamburg's main station are meanwhile back to normal after 18 people were injured on Friday in a knife attack by a female suspect. This is a roundup of the top news stories from Germany on May 24, 2025.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
German police chief warns of rising right-wing youth radicalization
The head of Germany's Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA), Holger Münch, has issued a warning about the increasing radicalization of young people within right-wing extremist circles. "For about a year, we've increasingly seen very young people with right-wing views becoming more radicalized and forming, at times, well-organized groups to carry out serious crimes," Münch told the Funke media group of newspapers in remarks published on Saturday. He highlighted the growing role of the internet as a networking space for the far-right scene. "Radicalization, recruitment and mobilization increasingly happen via social networks and right-wing forums," Münch said. The high number and severity of far-right motivated crimes pose a "major challenge" to security agencies, which are responding with increased surveillance, according to Münch. Münch emphasized that tackling the issue is not solely the responsibility of the police, but a challenge that requires joint effort across all parts of society to prevent serious acts of violence. Earlier this week, German federal prosecutors launched a crackdown on a far-right extremist cell accused of plotting violent attacks targeting migrants. Five male suspects aged 14 to 18 were arrested in coordinated raids. The teens are accused of being part of - or in one case supporting - a group that calls itself the Last Wave of Defence. According to prosecutors, the group aimed to destabilize Germany's democratic system through acts of violence, primarily targeting migrants and political opponents.
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Germany: Police chief warns of 'cocaine surge'
Germany is experiencing a "cocaine surge" amid a more general increase in the use of hard drugs, according to the head of the country's Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA). "Cocaineis spreading rapidly in Germany," Holger Münch was quoted as saying in comments published by the RND news network on Tuesday. Münch said that the focus of the international drug trade is switching to Europe because "the market in North America is saturated." According to Germany's 2024 crime statistics quoted by the DPA news agency, the number of cocaine-related offenses in the country increased by nearly 5% last year. Münch also warned of changing dynamics in the global heroin market caused by an opium ban imposed by the new Taliban government in Afghanistan. "This has created a shortage and therefore increased the risk of [heroin being cut with] synthetic opioids, which poses a higher risk for consumers," he explained, highlighting issues caused by fentanyl in the United States, even though heroin-related offenses in Germany were down last year. Münch is also unconvinced by the partial legalization of cannabis by Germany's outgoing coalition government. Since April, the cultivation of small amounts of marijuana in specially authorized clubs for personal use has been permitted, while adults are allowed to carry up to 25 grams (just under one ounce) of cannabis on their person in public. "The cannabis legalization won't have any effect on the black market; these so-called cannabis clubs don't even begin to satisfy the demand," said Münch, who complained that the new legislation has actually made the police's work harder. "When people can legally carry 25 grams in their pocket, it's more difficult to prove that they're dealing," he said. In their coalition talks, the incoming Christian Democrat (CDU) and Social Democrat (SPD) coalition government has agreed to evaluate the cannabis legalization in autumn 2025, with the conservative CDU in favor of reversing it altogether. "The fight against illegal drug dealing must remain at the top of the agenda for the police and the justice system," insisted Münch. The CDU received the largest share of the vote in Germany's February federal election and is set to be the senior partner in the new two-party coalition government. Party leader Friedrich Merz is likely to be elected chancellor in May. Edited by: Saim Dušan Inayatullah
