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Germany sees rising threat from militant Islamists | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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BERLIN (AP) — Germany’s domestic intelligence agency says the country faces an increasing threat from militant Islamists and far-right fringe groups.

The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution says the number of Salafi Muslims in Germany grew to 3,800 last year. The agency’s annual report on extremism in Germany didn’t provide a figure for the number of Salafists in 2010.

The report released Wednesday also noted an increasing number of members for militant far-right groups last year. Overall the membership of far-right groups fell to 22,400 from 25,000 in 2010.

The agency’s top official Heinz Fromm resigned earlier this month following political pressure over his staff’s failure to prevent a series of neo-Nazi murders.

The government on Wednesday appointed Interior Ministry official Hans-Georg Maassen as Fromm’s successor.