Germany's ruling coalition agreed on Thursday to strengthen security measures and asylum policies after a deadly attack linked to the Islamic State militant group has fueled far-right dissent and criticism of Berlin authorities. about their approach to immigration policies.
Three people were killed and eight others were injured in a knife attack during a festival marking the 650th anniversary of the city of Solingen. The incident has added to the political row over asylum and deportation rules ahead of local elections expected next month, as the suspect was an asylum seeker from Syria who had his application rejected.
The new measures contain tougher gun rules, including rules on owning a weapon, a ban on firearms and an absolute ban on knives at public events, such as festivals, sporting or shopping events.
Federal law enforcement officers will be authorized to use stun guns.
Among the bodies that will carry out security checks on individuals who want a gun permit will be new federal agencies to prevent extremists from acquiring weapons.
Berlin will also strengthen laws and procedures for asylum and residence permits, including in the category of “aggravated deportation” cases where the deportee has committed a crime with a weapon or dangerous vehicle.
The criteria for removing asylum or refugee status will be strengthened.
Asylum seekers will be excluded from the right to secure benefits in Germany if it turns out that they have claims in other European countries. Refugees who travel to their countries without a compelling reason risk losing their protection status, the document says.
This rule will not apply to Ukrainian refugees, the document notes.
The government will urge the Common European Asylum System to undertake reforms by simplifying transfers and deportations and will also seek to enable the deportation of individuals who have committed serious crimes or are considered a terrorist threat.
The document also contains measures to combat “violent Islamism”, allowing law enforcement authorities to use biometric data from publicly accessible online sources to identify suspects.
The government will strengthen the authority of domestic intelligence agencies in cases of financial investigations and will continue to crack down on Islamic organizations, the government document said.
