Germany raises threat level after series of attacks

Germany has raised its internal security threat level to “high,” citing an increased risk of attacks based on recent intelligence assessments, Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said.

In an interview with Welt am Sonntag published on Saturday, July 18, Dobrindt said the move reflects a shift from a previously assessed “abstract threat” level amid a rise in security warnings.

“This means that the risk of attacks on Germany must be considered at any time,” he said.

“Plans for attacks on our country are clearly evident,” he added.

Dobrindt identified critical infrastructure, civilians, and state and public institutions as potential targets.

Germany has faced a number of high-profile attacks in recent years. In December 2024, a Saudi doctor drove a rented BMW into a crowd at a Christmas market in Magdeburg, killing six people and injuring hundreds. A court sentenced the attacker to life imprisonment last month.

In a separate incident in August 2024, a Syrian national carried out a knife attack at a city festival in Solingen after evading police, acting on ISIS ideology. Three people were killed and 10 injured. He was convicted by a German court last year.

By Tamilla Hasanova