Children of extremists are a major threat to Germany

Berlin: ‘Germany is under threat from the children of extremists. Therefore, permission should be granted, to investigate children under the age of 14 being tutored extremism, demanded Hans-Georg Maassen, the President of the domestic secret service in Germany. There are 300 children influenced by extremism, informed Maassen.

Under the German ‘Protection of the Constitution’ (BfV), Maassen, the President of the domestic secret service, expressed concern about the extremists in Germany, and the increasing extremism in children. A German media, referring to the information given by Maassen, said that the youth and children in Germany are rapidly being made extremists and it is very simple to achieve. Such issues were not present in Germany in the past, informed Maassen.

As per the BfV report prepared under Maassen’s supervision, about 300 children have been made extremists. Some of the children have been given lessons in extremism by their families since birth.

BfV report revealed shocking information that the children are educated from birth with an extremist world view that legitimizes violence against others and degrades those who aren’t part of their group, by their families. The report expresses concern that this threat is more from the extremists, who have returned to their families in Germany after spending time in the conflict-torn region in the middle-east.

Making extremist out of children may not be a huge threat today, but in the times to come, it can pose a serious challenge for the German security, warned Maassen. If this has to be avoided, permission to watch the extremists and children of suspects, investigating them and counselling them must be granted, demanded Maassen.

Following the Maassen report, the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) of German Chancellor Angela Merkel is pressing for the permission to investigate children under the age of 14 years. The Maassen demand is receiving support even from Merkel’s ruling coalition partner parties.