Overview

• Herbert Reul, North Rhine-Westphalia's Interior Minister, advocates for immediate expansion of security agencies' powers to address modern crime challenges.
• German federal and state interior ministers have agreed on measures including mandatory retention of IP addresses and communication data for a minimum period.
• Proposed changes include enabling biometric comparisons with publicly available online media and clarifying legal frameworks for real-time facial recognition software.
• Reul emphasizes that current limitations frustrate investigators and hinder effective prevention and investigation of terrorist activities and organized crime.
• The ministers highlight the urgency of implementing these measures, citing ongoing high levels of terror threats and the need to modernize law enforcement tools.