From ‘ISIS’ to the Brotherhood… Request for a new briefing in the German Parliament
Successive requests for briefings against terrorist organizations in the German Parliament have affected the cross-border nature of terrorist networks.
Under the title “Current Links of German and Austrian Islamists,” the “Opposition” Left Party bloc submitted a briefing request to the German parliament on July 4.
This request joins a series of parliamentary movements that have affected Islamist and terrorist organizations in Germany in the last four months.
The term “Islamists and Islamism” is used in Germany to refer to what are known as “violent terrorist organizations” such as “ISIS” and al-Qaeda, and terrorist organizations active in political Islam, such as the Brotherhood and others.
On June 14, 2022, it became known that the Austrian authorities were able to identify a suspected ISIS cell in Austria. This is linked to plans to launch attacks on major events in Europe.
Austrian press reports also said that foreign authorities helped monitor the cell.. A key member of the cell is also reported to be a person who played a leading role at the height of ISIS in Iraq.
The Austrian authorities also mentioned that a number of cell members have “residency” in various European countries, and there are members of the cell who reside in other European countries,
The preamble noted that the links between terrorist cells in Austria and Germany were also raised during the Vienna terrorist attack on November 2, 2020, as the perpetrators met with accomplices on German soil.
The briefing request was made from this point regarding the surveillance of the ISIS terrorist cell in Austria last month, to talk about the links between Islamist organizations in general in Austria and Germany.
In the briefing request, the Left Party bloc clearly asked the government, ‘Does the federal government have information about groups, associations or organizations linked to or in which there is contact or relationship between German and Austrian Islamists (please divide by association, association and organization)’?
Does the federal government have any information on whether Austrian Islamists took part in the events and events organized by the Islamic scene in Germany since January 1, 2020 (please divide by date and place)?
Does the federal government have any information about the suspected ISIS cell that the Austrian authorities have busted?
In this context, was there an exchange of information between the Austrian Public Prosecution Offices and the Federal Prosecutor’s Office or the Federal Criminal Police Office in Germany?
In accordance with the requirements of parliamentary work, the Government is expected to respond to the request for information, in a written note to Parliament, within weeks.
But the briefing request addressed the cross-border nature of terrorist organizations, reflecting growing awareness among German politicians about their structures and modes of movement.
In mid-June, Austria’s Office for the Protection of the Constitution (Internal Intelligence) spotted a suspected ISIS cell with the help of foreign authorities.
According to Austrian reports, the cell was planning attacks related to major events in Europe.
According to the Austrian Interior Ministry, ISIS members in the cell came from Iraq, and some played leadership roles during the group’s heyday and were recruited to carry out new attacks in Europe.
