The Gemeinsames Extremismus- und Terrorismusabwehrzentrum (GETZ) for countering right-wing extremism/terrorism, left-wing extremism/terrorism, extremism/terrorism of foreigners and espionage/proliferation
Zoom© Bundesamt für Verfassungsschutz
The GETZ (Joint Centre for Countering Extremism and Terrorism) started its work on 15 November 2012. Here, co-operation between the police and the community of the German domestic intelligence services, between the Federation and the federal states in the fields of right-wing extremism/terrorism, left-wing extremism/terrorism, extremism of foreigners, counter-espionage and proliferation is organised under one roof.
Zoom© Bundesamt für Verfassungsschutz
Like the Gemeinsames Terrorismusabwehrzentrum (GTAZ – Joint Counter-Terrorism Centre) and the Gemeinsames Abwehrzentrum gegen Rechtsextremismus/-terrorismus (GAR – Joint Centre for Countering Right-Wing Extremism/Terrorism), which is now being merged with the GETZ, the latter is not a new authority but a modern information and communication platform used by all the authorities involved. Setting up the GETZ has not affected any issues of jurisdiction or authority. It is aimed at directly concentrating all the authorities' expertise, thus ensuring that the flow of information is as complete and rapid as possible.
The BfV and the BKA are in charge of the GETZ.
The following authorities have been involved so far:
Bundeskriminalamt (BKA – Federal Criminal Police Office)
Bundespolizei (BPol – Federal Police)
Europol
Generalbundesanwalt (GBA – Federal Public Prosecutor General)
Zollkriminalamt (ZKA – Central Office of the German Customs Investigation Service)
Bundesamt für Verfassungsschutz (BfV)
Bundesnachrichtendienst (BND – Federal Intelligence Service)
Militärischer Abschirmdienst (MAD – Military Counterintelligence Service)
Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge (BAMF – Federal Office for Migration and Refugees)
Bundesamt für Wirtschaft und Ausfuhrkontrolle (BAfA – Federal Office of Economics and Export Control)
Landeskriminalämter (LKÄ – criminal police offices of the federal states) and
Landesverfassungsschutzämter (LfV – intelligence services of the federal states)
In addition to the existing Nachrichtendienstliche Informations- und Analysestelle für Rechtsextremismus/-terrorismus (NIAS-R – Intelligence Information and Analysis Unit for Right-Wing Extremism/Terrorism), further phenomena-related units of this kind are to be established under the auspices of the GETZ. The same applies to the Polizeiliche Informations- und Analysestelle für Rechtsextremismus/-terrorismus (PIAS-R – Police Information and Analysis Unit for Right-Wing Extremism/Terrorism).
Zoom© Bundesamt für Verfassungsschutz
Experience gained at the GTAZ and GAR shows that all the authorities involved clearly benefit from such a co-operation platform in their daily work.
This applies in particular to the
optimisation of the information flow between the police and the community of the German domestic intelligence services
optimised possibilities of personal information exchange
concentration of expertise in particular crime phenomena
strengthening of analysis expertise
early identification of potential threats
discussion of operational measures
The well-established GTAZ and GAR models have improved co-operation between the security agencies mainly because they ensure the personal and systematic exchange, based on expertise in particular crime phenomena, of the information available at various authorities and provide possibilities for joint assessment and analysis.
Concrete co-operation takes place in working groups. Situation briefings for all fields of crime phenomena are held on a regular basis at various intervals ranging from several times a week to quarterly.
Besides regular situation briefings, further working groups exist which, for instance, meet for detailed discussions of topical issues on a day-to-day basis (e.g. the WG on operational information exchange) or deal with an issue on a project-oriented basis – with no concrete highly topical relevance (e.g. WG on case analysis).
Click here for further information on Joint Counter-Terrorism Centre (GTAZ) or Joint Internet Centre (GIZ).
