Germany wants to expand the powers of its foreign intelligence service

The German government is planning to expand the powers of the Federal Intelligence Service (BND) and other special services. Berlin aims to combat modern security threats from abroad more effectively.

According to the ntv channel, the new order may allow BND officers to neutralize IT devices and infrastructure located abroad during cyber attacks. It is also planned to allow them to carry out sabotage operations on the territory of foreign countries in case of a national defense emergency.

The Bundestag is expected to vote on a package of reforms aimed at expanding the powers of the intelligence services on August 12.

The need for reforms is explained by the worsening security situation in Germany and Europe. In particular, it is noted that various hybrid threats have increased in Germany against the backdrop of Russia's war in Ukraine.

Examples include the detection of drones equipped with explosives at airports, cyberattacks on energy infrastructure, espionage cases and sabotage attempts at defense industry enterprises.

Commenting on the planned changes, German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt stressed the need to adapt the country's intelligence services to modern requirements in an interview with Bild.

In his opinion, German special services should be able to work on an equal footing with partner intelligence structures around the world. He said that intelligence agencies need operational capabilities and active powers to combat modern state-level terrorism and extremist groups.

Currently, the BND's main task is to collect and analyze information that is important for Germany's security and foreign policy abroad.

The new reforms provide for the granting of "operational" powers to the intelligence service. This will allow the BND not only to collect information about the threat, but also to take specific actions aimed at eliminating it.

In particular, the BND is planned to be allowed to conduct cyber operations on computer systems abroad in order to change or delete data.

According to the NTV report, such capabilities could be used, for example, to change digital instructions for the production of weapons or to render weapons unusable during their production.

The possibility of influencing the mechanisms for paying low-level performers involved in sabotage is also being considered. It is noted that such payments are often made in digital currencies.

At the same time, the new powers do not give the BND the right to use violence against individuals abroad. Such actions remain prohibited.

Therefore, it is noted that the operational capabilities of German foreign intelligence will remain limited compared to those of special services such as the US Central Intelligence Agency - CIA, Israel's Mossad or France's General Directorate for External Security.

However, BND officers, Bundeswehr soldiers or federal police officers may not have to obtain separate permits every time they take weapons abroad on duty, as they do now.

To this end, appropriate amendments are planned to be made to Germany's military arms control law. According to officials, this measure is aimed at ensuring the safety of personnel on duty abroad.

The reforms are not limited to the operational activities of the BND. It is also planned to give the Federal Intelligence Service and the German Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution greater powers to collect and analyze information.

In particular, it is planned to expand the ability of the special services to analyze large volumes of data using artificial intelligence programs.

Thus, the German intelligence system can move from a traditional information collection model to a system aimed at identifying threats and, in some cases, actively eliminating them.

Meanwhile, the new powers of the special services will not go unchecked. The Independent Supervisory Board will oversee the activities of Germany's intelligence agencies. The relevant parliamentary committee of the Bundestag will also retain its oversight powers.

The reform package still needs to be approved by parliament. If the Bundestag approves it, the BND's ability to act against threats outside Germany will be significantly expanded.