CEP Senior Director Dr. Hans-Jakob Schindler interviewed on terrorism financing and Hamas financing in Germany.

"Drone flights over critical infrastructure, military installations, and military transport are clearly intended to gather information and intelligence about these facilities, as well as about German response patterns," security expert [CEP Senior Director] Hans-Jakob Schindler told Lusa.

Dr Hans-Jakob Schindler, Director of the Counter Extremism Project, describes the arrests of the Hamas cell in 2023 as a "turning point". "Its members had already deposited weapons in Europe years before. Anyone storing weapons in Poland or Bulgaria is certainly not doing so for use in the Gaza Strip," Schindler told WELT AM SONNTAG. This points to an overarching strategy that could be activated if necessary. The connection to criminal gangs follows a well-known logic. "The relationships between organized crime and terrorist organizations are often structural," explains Schindler. Such connections are not atypical, especially when it comes to procuring weapons. In most cases, terrorist organizations rely on criminal networks to obtain weapons - whether through smuggling or the black market.

Counter Extremism Project (CEP) Senior Director Dr. Hans-Jakob Schindler interviewed regarding drones in Germany, this time at the Munich Airport [starting at 09:28]. 

According to Dr Hans-Jakob Schindler, the arrests show that the risk of Hamas attacks in Germany remains high. "The initial investigations seem to confirm that the Islamist organization planted terrorists in Germany years ago," says the senior director and head of the Berlin office of the international Counter Extremism Project. Hamas operates with a high degree of professionalism. "The members of the terror cells, for example, try to act as inconspicuously as possible so as not to come to the attention of the security services." This includes not appearing as activists at propaganda events, for example. In addition, two of the suspected attackers who have now been arrested have taken German citizenship.

German security authorities have arrested a cell in Berlin, with the suspects said to be acting on behalf of the Palestinian terrorist organization Hamas. Dr Hans-Jakob Schindler is interviewed on the unfolding story (starts at 4:32).

CEP Senior Director Dr. Hans-Jakob Schindler interviewed on the situation in Syria and ISIS returnees in Germany. “More than 1,100 Germans joined the IS terrorist militia in Syria or Iraq. After the collapse of the caliphate, 472 returned. These returnees are under special surveillance by the security authorities; some have been convicted. The greatest threat comes from radicalized IS fighters still in Kurdish prisons. If IS succeeds in freeing prisoners, they could enter Germany. Returnees are often traumatized; some are no longer radicalized, others potentially dangerous. The police treat each case individually. So far, there have been no attacks by returnees; known IS attacks were mostly carried out by radicalized individuals in Germany.”

Russian drones are increasingly appearing over German military bases and the routes of arms transports to Ukraine. The media report systematic espionage. Germany is said to be inadequately prepared for the resulting dangers. In an interview with ZDFheute live, security and intelligence expert Hans-Jakob Schindler explains how Russia operates and what weaknesses German authorities have. Russia's espionage is about assessing and gradually destroying the fighting power of its opponents. The aim is "also to undermine cohesion within an opposing society, in this case Germany". To achieve this, Moscow relies on "misinformation and disinformation, propaganda, but also by spreading fear", explains Schindler.