Country Reports on Terrorism 2012

GERMANY
Overview: The threat from violent extremism remained elevated in 2012. Germany investigated,
arrested, and prosecuted numerous terrorist suspects and disrupted terrorist-related groups within
its borders with connections to al-Qa’ida (AQ) and other violent Islamist extremist, Kurdish
nationalist, and Nazi terrorist organizations.
2012 Terrorist Incidents: Authorities are investigating a suspected attempted terrorist attack
after a bomb was discovered in a gym bag December 10 at the Bonn train station. It apparently
did not explode because of poor workmanship.
Legislation, Law Enforcement, and Border Security: In January, the Federal Cabinet decided
to create a central database of violent neo-Nazis and those who call for the use of violence. The
database became operational in late September. In June, Interior Minister Friedrich banned the
Solingen-based violent extremist group Millatu Ibrahim. In November, Germany launched its
Joint Terrorism and Defense Center. Modeled after existing centers against violent extremism
and right-wing radicalism, the new center addresses politically motivated crime.
Arrests and prosecutions:
In February, Arid Uka was sentenced to life in prison for shooting U.S. airmen at
Frankfurt Airport in 2011.
In February, a Düsseldorf court sentenced Sadi Naci Ö. to six years and Ünalkaplan D. to
four years in prison for membership in the Turkish terrorist group Revolutionary People’s
Freedom Party/Front.
In March, the trial against Afghan-born German citizen Ahmad Wali Sidiqi began in
Koblenz. German authorities had arrested him at Ramstein airbase upon his release from
U.S. custody in April 2011. Sidiqi allegedly received instructions from Sheik Younis to
carry out attacks in Europe.
In May, a German engineer who was kidnapped in northern Nigeria was killed. Al-
Qa’ida in the Islamic Maghreb had demanded in March that Germany free convicted
terrorist supporter Filiz Gelowicz in exchange for the engineer.
In May, the trial against an AQ terror cell began in Düsseldorf. The defendants were
accused of conspiring to set off explosives in crowded areas.
In October, a judge sentenced Murat K. to six years in prison and more than US $12,000
in damages for a knife attack against two police officers during a demonstration.
In November, charges were filed against alleged National Socialist Underground (NSU)
member Beate Zschäpe and four accomplices. The NSU terror cell is suspected of
murdering nine people with immigrant backgrounds for racist/xenophobic reasons and
one policewoman between 2000 and 2007.
In December, a Berlin court sentenced German national Thomas U. (a.k.a. Hamsa al-
Majaari) to four years and three months imprisonment for membership in the German
Taliban mujahedin, training to commit terrorist acts, and uploading violent extremist
propaganda to the internet.
Countering Terrorist Finance: Germany is a member of the Financial Action Task Force
(FATF), and an observer to the Eurasian Group on Combating Money Laundering and Terrorist
Financing, the Asia/Pacific Group on Money Laundering, and the Financial Action Task Force
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