Stop at Breitscheidplatz: Berlin police admits mistakes

Anis Amri was known as a danger and was observed. Why was the audit canceled? From staff shortages, says the ex-head of the Berlin Islamism-department.

Stop at Breitscheidplatz: Berlin police admits mistakes

The monitoring of later assassin Anis Amri by Berlin police was apparently interrupted in summer of 2016 due to staff shortages. This was reported by n head of Islamism-department, b., in Committee of Inquiry of Berlin House of Representatives. In December 2016, Amri had driven a truck to Christmas market at Breitscheidplatz and killed twelve people. More than 70 had been injured.

This contradicts B. The head of State Protection department in state Criminal Police Office. She had previously testified that Amri was no longer observed because officials assumed that "anor observation would not have made any gain in knowledge."

In his final report to attack on Breitscheidplatz, special investigator of Berlin Senate had pointed out that country criminal Police office well-known endangered only until middle of June 2016, although a permit was still in October. Why observation was canceled is one of important open questions in case of AMRI, which Committee of Inquiry is to clarify.

"Still tens of ors endanger"

For observations in Berlin Mobile Mission command in country Criminal Police Office is responsible, commissions can request observations re. However, it is prioritized first: departments and at end of department decide how high a case is on list. According to B., Islamism department usually had one or two observation commands available per day – but also 2016 already a lot more dangerous that y wanted to have in view. "We had to limit ourselves, and it never was enough," said B.

Amri was still considered dangerous, but was not so highly prioritised that it could be observed. His squad had to observe "tens of ors endangering", among m Syria-returnees. However, fact that Amri was no longer observed in four months until end of observation decision was a mistake, said B.

Already 2015 "no longer able to fulfill our tasks"

B. Also confirmed that Berlin police had been overloaded long before attack. As early as July 2015, he warned himself: "We will no longer be able to perform our duties if we do not receive immediate reinforcements," he wrote to his department head in country criminal Police office, said B. The number of operations had tripled in one year, and at same time up to a quarter of officials had been reported ill. He himself has accumulated late 2016 290 overtime.

However, re were also policemen who had minus hours, apparently working too little. He even occupied two employees with a "Attestauflage". B. Stressed, however: "It pains me that reporting after attack conveys an overall picture of dabbling. My image of my staff was and is characterised by willingness to work and commitment and I am thankful for your job. " B. 2017 was promoted and is now leading Division 1 in LKA, responsible for murders and sexual offences.

Discussion of ancillary activities

That B. During overloading situation in his department 2016 a secondary activity as a seminar leader and moderator, he defended in Committee of Inquiry. He had exercised side jobs only in his spare time, in consultation with his deputy. Unlike head of Islamism-department in North Rhine-Westphalia, he and his deputy were always reachable.

The Chairman of Committee of Inquiry, Burkard Dregger (CDU), said: "We have to think about how we value it: at a time when a department can no longer carry out its tasks, a department director finds time to pursue ancillary activities." He announced that Committee would deal with question of conditions under which ancillary activities are appropriate.

Date Of Update: 21 April 2018, 12:02
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