Germany concerned Islamic State infiltrating its military

Germany’s parliament is set to consider legislation that would make it mandatory for all recruits to the country’s army to be screened in an attempt to prevent potential jihadists from infiltrating the military and gaining weapons training, the German media group Funke has claimed.

If approved the new measure would come into place from July 2017.

In August German newspaper Welt am Sonntag reported that the German army was keen to introduce tougher security checks on recruits after disclosing that 64 potential jihadists were suspected of infiltrating its ranks, in addition to 268 right-wing extremists and six left-wing extremists.

At that time Welt am Sonntag reported that the proposal, if implemented, would lead to a significant overhaul of Germany’s recruiting policy to the Bundeswehr as under the current system soldiers are only checked for Islamist links following their enlistment. 

It could also cost the German state an estimated $9.1 million per year and require the employment of an extra 90 military officials in order to carry out an estimated further 20,000 checks per year. 

A spokesman for Germany’s counter-espionage service (MAD), quoted by Sky News, said that recruiting offices had received a number of queries from people requesting to join the military for just a few months, expressing an interest in intensive weapons and equipment training.

In promotional videos the Islamic State has notably called on potential recruits to try to familiarise themselves with weapons before travelling to Syria and Iraq to join the extremist group. 

Almost 900,000 migrants arrived in Germany last year. While originally welcomed, concerns have risen over the potential security threat some of those who have travelled to the country could cause. 

Two Islamic State-inspired attacks took place in Germany over the summer.

last week German police arrested a Syrian man in Berlin suspected of plotting a terror attack at an airport in the city, only weeks after another Syrian man committed suicide in a police cell after being arrested in Leipzig after police found a bomb under construction at his apartment. 

Meanwhile, human rights groups have warned of rising Islamophobia in Germany.