Returning Foreign Terrorist Fighters in Germany: An Assessment of the Threat and Policy Options

Title: Returning Foreign Terrorist Fighters in Germany: An Assessment of the Threat and Policy Options This lecture is a part of the The Institute of World Politics' 2019 Student Symposium that was held on May 16th. About the Lecture: In the wake of the Arab Spring, nearly one thousand German citizens traveled to Syria and Iraq to join Islamist terrorist groups. About a third of these are now back in the Federal Republic. Returning Foreign Terrorist Fighters (FTFs) present a tremendous challenge for the German authorities as many of them are combat experienced, can radicalize others, and recruit them to conduct attacks. Officials have mainly aimed at speedy incarceration proceedings in order to avoid public pressure and contain the immediate security risk. This only postpones the threat because prison sentences are typically short and, therefore, do not represent a long-term solution. To prevent returning FTFs from conducting attacks in Germany and undermining the social fabric, the country should tailor its approach for each case and reassert the legitimacy and relevance of the state using the legal system. Germany must further strengthen its intelligence and surveillance capabilities, improve border controls, and enhance its deradicalization and reintegration programs. Finally, to avoid falling into a “counterterrorism fatigue,” Germany must develop a National Strategy for Counterterrorism to address all dimensions of the challenge of Islamist terrorism. About the Speaker: Tobias Brandt is originally from Hamburg, Germany, and he is an M.A. candidate in Statecraft and International Affairs at the Institute of World Politics graduating in May. His key research interests are U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East, terrorism, and the transatlantic relationship. In his final semester at IWP, Tobias wrote an honors thesis on “Pushing Back Terrorist Propaganda and Countering Ideological Support for Militant Islamism.” He has been published in The National Interest, and the paper on which his lecture is based will be featured in the spring issue of the Institute’s Journal Active Measures.