Overview
- Federal Prosecutor and BKA lead a terrorism investigation into the 3 January cable‑bridge arson after claims signed “Vulkangruppe” were deemed credible.
- Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt launched a public search campaign with posters and transit displays, set a €1 million reward, and ordered a 24/7 BKA intake team.
- Dobrindt also moves to bolster the Verfassungsschutz, cut public detail on critical‑infrastructure locations, and intensify focus on left‑wing extremism without shifting resources from other threats.
- The Berlin Senate unveiled a first 66‑point resilience package, plans expanded police and intelligence powers, more district disaster‑protection posts, and named an expert panel including Sigrid Nikutta, Albrecht Broemme, Heyo Kroemer and Uwe Nerger.
- Separately, Rhineland‑Palatinate confirmed 923 asylum seekers logged as “abgängig” from July to year‑end 2024 after a Bitburg data leak that sparked a criminal data‑protection complaint and partisan clashes over controls and deportation.