German security service wants to expand considerably

berlin - The German internal security service BfV wants to expand considerably. Sources at the Ministry of the Interior told the magazine Der Spiegel that the top of the security service is aiming for almost a doubling of the number of employees. 3100 people now work at the service. That should be 6000 in 2021.

BfV chief Hans-Georg Maassen thinks that the internal security service should be about the same size as the foreign intelligence service BND. The additional people in the domestic service would, among other things, be required to tackle espionage more effectively and to better combat Islamic terrorism.

Maassen is under attack in Germany due to his reaction to recent unrest in Chemnitz in the east of the country. He questioned whether there had been a manhunt on foreigners. He also seemed to question the authenticity of video images of right-wing violence, although he would have argued later that his statements had been misinterpreted.