Security threat from far right ‘very high’ in Germany: interior minister

(R-L) German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer, Justice Minister Christine Lambrecht, the President of the Federal Criminal Office Holger Muench, and German chief federal prosecutor Peter Frank address a press conference, on February 21, 2020, in Berlin, one day after the deadly mass shooting born of racist motives in Hanau. – Seehofer said German police will “increase presence” nationwide and at mosques. After Germany was stunned by a mass shooting born of racist motives, ministers came under pressure from threatened communities to present new measures against extreme-right violence. (Photo by Tobias SCHWARZ / AFP)

BERLIN, Germany (AFP) –German interior minister Horst Seehofer said Friday that the police presence would be increased across the country to counter the “very high” security threat from the far-right after a gunman killed nine people in a racist attack late Wednesday.

“The security threat from right-wing extremism, antisemitism, and racism is very high,” Seehofer said at a press conference in Berlin.

He also announced an “increased police presence” and “increased surveillance” at mosques, train stations, airports, and borders.

Right-wing extremism, Seehofer said, was the “biggest security threat facing Germany”, and one which had left “a trail of blood” behind it in recent months.

Germany has already taken several measures to combat right-wing extremism after a string of violent incidents over the last year.

Last June, pro-migrant politician Walter Luebcke was murdered, while October brought an attack on a synagogue in the eastern city of Halle.

Suspects in both cases have ties to the far-right scene.

Seehofer said he was not calling for more police officers or further laws, but rather “a greater use of the options already available to us”.

Sitting to his right, Justice Minister Christine Lambrecht said the government would examine in detail how firearms could end up in the hands of “extremists”.

Yet both Seehofer and Justice Minister Christine Lambrecht underlined the difficulty of detecting attackers who act alone, as the key suspect in the Hanau shootings appeared to have done.

“Despite all our efforts, we cannot completely rule out such terrible crimes,” said Seehofer.

Federal police chief Holger Muench, meanwhile, warned that “around half” of those who carry out such attacks were previously unknown to the authorities.