German authorities were alerted to a terrorist plot in Düsseldorf by US authorities using airline passenger data, the Rheinische Post newspaper reported Friday. “From the American side, we were advised of the striking and unusual travel patterns of the suspects,” German Interior Minister Hans-Peter Friedrich told the newspaper. […]
Egypt officials have said they will make a formal request to Germany for the return of the 3,400 year-old bust of fabled Queen Nefertiti, but Germany said the bust will remain in Berlin. State minister for antiquities Zahi Hawass said this week a letter would be sent to Germany to […]
On Monday, Chancellor Angela Merkel said she was “glad” about the killing of Osama bin Laden. Now, though, criticism of the comment is mounting — even within her own party. German Foreign Minister Westerwelle, meanwhile, is calling on the West to be careful in its reaction to the news. As […]
The death of Osama bin Laden hits al-Qaida hard: The terrorist network hasn’t played any role in the Arab revolutions, and now its charismatic leader is gone. Terrorism expert Guido Steinberg explains who will try to fill the void, and why this is a major success for President Obama. SPIEGEL […]
The capture of three al-Qaida suspects in Düsseldorf last week has sparked a political clash over Germany’s anti-terror laws. While Germany’s interior minister aims to extend post-9/11 laws, other’s in Chancellor Angela Merkel’s government are seeking to block the move. German commentators are divided on the issue. The detention of three terror suspects on Friday has fuelled the […]
Americans and their allies are celebrating the death of Osama bin Laden, but the long-term consequences of the killing remain unclear. German commentators praise President Obama’s resolve but warn that al-Qaida remains a threat. It took 10 long years, but the news that al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden had been killed […]
Germany must speed up its transition to renewable energy in the wake of the Fukushima nuclear accident, writes Norbert Röttgen, the German environment minister, in an opinion piece. He says Germany can lead the way with a successful shift into green power that will boost its economy. Twenty-five years […]
Security officials in Germany arrested three suspects who may be linked to al-Qaida on Friday. The men could be the first group connected to the international terrorist group to be uncovered in the country since Mohammed Atta’s Hamburg-based 9/11 terror cell. One of the men is believed to have had […]
The secret file on detainee Mohamedou Ould Slahi, who lived in Germany for years, exemplifies the failure of the Guantanamo system. His confession to being a member of al-Qaida was obtained under torture, and other evidence in the file is also worthless. The 12-page document stems from March 2008. Anyone who […]
A freak sandstorm that swept across a motorway in northern Germany caused a multiple pile-up, leaving eight people dead and dozens injured. Sand and dirt were blown on to the four-lane A19 near Rostock, close to the Baltic Sea in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania state, on Friday. The pile-up involved 80 cars […]