Under the current military law in Germany, only after employment, security checks are undertaken.
By JPOST.COM STAFFUpdated: NOVEMBER 5, 2016 12:36German Bundeswehr army soldiers demonstrate their skills at Kaserne Hochstaufen (mountain infantry military barracks) in Bad Reichenhall, southern Germany, March 23, 2016(photo credit: REUTERS/MICHAELA REHLE)
A number of soldiers in the German military were discovered to hold Islamist beliefs and joined the army in order to attain training in weaponry and tactics, RT news agency reported, citing local German media reports.The German newspaper Die Welt reported on Saturday that German Military Counterintelligence service, MAD, uncovered 20 soldiers as Islamists and 60 others were put on surveillance for holding Islamist leanings.MAD said "individual inquiries from applicants who are interested in the service of the Bundeswehr in striking manner, express a commitment request of only a few months and are expressly interested in intensive weapon and equipment training," as reported in Die Welt.Background checks under military law in Germany can only occur after employment. A Federal Defense Minister spokesman said the government wishes "to respond adequately to the changed security situation and prevent the use of the Bundeswehr as a training facility for potential terrorists, extremists and trafficked persons."This new proposal demonstrates the effort undertaken by the German government to prevent insider attacks.