The German Federal Constitutional Court decided on Thursday to finally and officially allow the deportation of potential terrorist suspects. The court found that people without German citizenship may be deported from Germany with a fast-track procedure on the grounds of protection against terrorist acts or danger to national security.
The ruling came as a response to last year's terrorist attack in Berlin. Two Algerian men and one Nigeria national have already been deported as a result of this decision.
However, the overall situation regarding criminal immigrants and their deportation is still unsatisfactory.
On the same day as the court decision was made, three Muslim men that were arrested for suspected terror activities, thus eligible for deportation, were released after a court mishap. In Mecklenburg-West Pomerania, local police forces and the German Federal Police GSG9 tactical unit raided several buildings and arrested the three men. According to the German Federal Prosecutor's office, a terrorist attack with Islamic motivations plotted by the three Muslim men was imminent. The police confiscated a truck and several chemicals found at the location.
But the next day, judges decided to release the men because a court rule had been broken. After any arrest, police forces are supposed to bring the arrestees before a judge as fast as possible. In this case, law enforcement officers took thirteen hours to produce the bodies of the three Muslim suspects, which prompted the two presiding judges to let them go. The police have since filed an appeal and a regional court is supposed to settle the dispute.
