War criminals from the former Assad regime should think twice before trying to disguise themselves as refugees in Germany, the government has warned, but police have warned that their overstretched resources will prevent them from trying to stop them. It's ringing.
Germany is extremely aggressive in pursuing war criminals and intends to hold Bashar al-Assad's “henchmen” to account, the left-wing interior and foreign ministers said. Senior politicians told the German newspaper. Bild am Sonntag The country, which has been the top destination for Syrian refugees in Europe for the past decade, has sparked growing debate that a new wave of migrants could soon arrive as the old regime flees the new regime.
Foreign Minister Annalena Verbock took a tough stance, saying Germany may have historical reasons to be especially wary of people fleeing the collapsed regime and that Assad's allies had tried to disguise themselves as refugees in the country. He said he would prosecute if necessary. she has been reported He told the paper: “If any of Assad's tormentors are now considering fleeing to Germany, I can say unequivocally that we will use the full force of the law to hold all of the regime's henchmen accountable for their horrific crimes. I intend to.”
Burbock called on “international security and intelligence agencies” to work together to prevent Assad's henchmen from fleeing.
These comments were joined by her colleague, Germany's Interior Minister Nancy Feser, who said the government was on “extreme alarm” against “Assad's henchmen” and that this meant “whatever they dare to try… “People should be discouraged from doing so,” he told the newspaper.
The remarks came after days of speculation that supporters of the former regime were fleeing to Germany. Nippon Television reported on Saturday. Friedrich Merz, leader of Germany's CDU party and likely to become the next chancellor, has expressed concern about Assad supporters visiting Germany and called for stronger border security to stop them.
He is said to have said the following: “We Europeans must work together as soon as possible to ensure that second and third accomplices of the Assad regime do not come to Europe or Germany undetected as asylum seekers… We need border controls, and we plan to implement them after the election.”
But those tasked with actually defending their borders wonder whether it will be possible to stop Syrian war criminals, given how little resources open-border countries actually invest in security. I have doubts.
line post quotation Federal police union president Andreas Rothkopf said he was concerned about dangerous regime supporters coming to Germany. “I share the concern that supporters of the Assad regime could flee to Germany, including former military personnel, torturers or others with blood on their hands,” he told the newspaper. This includes people… Our armed forces have already fully tightened control on all our borders. Therefore, in order to prevent the perpetrators of such a subversive regime from attempting to flee to Germany, Using information from institutions would be much more important and effective.”
Worryingly, it is stated that a well-developed route has already been established for former Syrian regime officers to reach Germany. news magazine concentration report Last week, a plane carried 200 fugitive Syrian military officers to Libya, a route that has continued to operate twice a week for more than a year, officials said. The newspaper said the Syrians were loaded onto buses from the airport and taken to fast-waiting boats at Libyan ports, unlike the slow, unnavigable rafts used by the majority of illegal migrants. , trying to reach Europe without being thwarted by the authorities.
concentration published a comment by Rawand Kiki of the Syrian Press Center, stating that “Despite the current widespread rhetoric of reconciliation, many perpetrators come to Germany to take revenge and escape prosecution in their homeland. “It will be,” he predicted.
What the fall of Assad's regime would mean for the millions of Syrians in Europe and when they would be able to return home has also been hotly debated over the past week. CDU leader Merz has also spoken out on the subject, walking a middle path between the deportationists (now the AfD) and the left, which seems embarrassed to even bring up the topic. He said Merz's government would support people who wanted to travel voluntarily, but those who already had jobs in Germany could remain.
However, he said Syrians who do not want to integrate into German society will have to leave the country. “If they do not do this voluntarily, in the future they can and will be forced to return to Syria,” he said. More than half of Syrians living in Germany are said to receive so-called “citizen allowance” social security checks, meaning more than half are officially not economically productive.
