German lawmakers pass security bill in response to Islamist attacks

German lawmakers approved on Friday a package of security and immigration measures proposed by Chancellor Olaf Scholz's centre-left coalition in response to suspected Islamist attacks earlier this year.

The plan includes a general ban on knives at public events, as well as new restrictions on benefits for asylum seekers obliged to leave the country under the EU's so-called Dublin rules.

But a proposal to expand police powers to use biometric data in terrorism investigations was blocked by the upper chamber of Germany's parliament, the Bundesrat.

The measure would have allowed police to compare biometric data on the internet in certain serious investigations, including terrorism cases, provided that the president of the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) gets court approval.

That part of the security package was voted down by Germany's 16 federal states, who together make up the Bundesrat.

Under the portions of the new law that were approved on Friday, asylum seekers obliged to leave the country may have their benefits cut if another European Union member is responsible for them under the Dublin rules and there are no obstacles to their departure. Exceptions are to be made if children are affected.

In addition, the law makes it easier for German authorities to deny asylum claims from people who have committed crimes "with an anti-Semitic, racist, xenophobic, gender-specific, anti-sexual orientation or other inhumane motive."

Interior Minister Nancy Faeser praised the extension of restrictions on the carrying of knives at public events such as festivals and sporting events.

"We are banning knives at public events and enabling states to enact more extensive knife bans," she said.

'Irresponsible' to block expanded police measures

Faeser, however, blasted state leaders from the centre-right opposition CDU/CSU bloc for rejecting the expanded police measures.

Faeser, a Social Democrat (SPD), called the decision "completely incomprehensible and irresponsible" and accused the CDU/CSU politicians of "denying [the] investigative authorities powers that are absolutely necessary in view of the current threats."

She said the expanded powers could be needed to identify terror suspects, murderers and rapists using facial recognition.

CDU politician Thomas Strobl, the interior minister for the south-western German state of Baden-Württemberg, told the mass-circulation Bild newspaper that the proposals didn't go far enough.

"Nothing more than a speck of dust remains of the tough announcements, especially in the area of combating terrorism and powers for our security authorities," he told the newspaper on Saturday.

Baden-Württemberg's government abstained in the Bundesrat vote.

Divided views on package

The three-party coalition of Chancellor Olaf Scholz's Social Democrats (SPD), the Greens and pro-business Free Democrats (FDP) initiated the new security proposal after a series of terrorist incidents over the summer.

Prime among them was a deadly knife attack at a local festival in the western German city of Solingen in late August which left three people dead.

The suspect, a 26-year-old Syrian citizen, is believed to have acted out of extremist Islamist motives. He had evaded an order to be deported from Germany to Bulgaria, prompting renewed debate over Germany's handling of asylum seekers and other migrants.

The opposition centre-right Christian Democrats (CDU) said the coalition's migration restrictions did not go far enough. Lawmaker Alexander Throm said the package would be "largely ineffective."

There was also criticism of the coalition's plans from within parts of the SPD and the Greens, partly due to stricter measures in the area of migration.

The refugee advocacy group Pro Asyl condemned the plan, warning it would "lead to deliberately induced homelessness and destitution among those seeking protection" in Germany.