Forced to act

When it comes to social legislation or protection of the environment, there's no doubt that the principles of the welfare state model apply. But when it comes to national security, that's not necessarily the case. This has been demonstrated again in the current discussion about toughening laws to combat Islamic extremist terrorism. The latest UN resolution calling on all countries to prevent the movement of terrorists and terrorist organizations has stoked the debate.

More than 450 IS fighters from Germany

The number of people around the world who sympathize with the "Islamic State" terrorist group and who are prepared to commit acts of violence on the side of the terrorists in Syrian and Iraq is growing. More than 450 people have left Germany alone with the goal of fighting with IS, according to the president of the Office for the Protection of the Constitution, Hans-Georg Maassen. And many of these people will or have come back. According to the Federal Criminal Police Office, they already currently number about 120. They are a source of concern for the authorities: the returnees have not only been indoctrinated, they've also been trained to handle weapons and explosives. That thought has also alarmed German politicians, which is why the government is now discussing a range of legal modifications to better get the problem under control.

Among other things, Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democratic Union and its sister party, gave asked that appealing to terrorist sympathizers once again be made punishable by law. In Germany, the "sympathizer paragraph" was introduced in the 1970s as one of the measures to deal with RAF terrorists. Then in 2002, it was scrapped following a campaign by the Green Party. As a consequence, members of al Qaeda are still legally able to stand in front of the Brandenburg Gate, waving the flag of this terrorist organization and singing its praises. In the case of the Islamic State terrorist group, this has recently been banned under the laws governing German associations. Everyone knows what kind of power such expressions of sympathy can exert over young people, so why not shut this loophole?

German laws the result of historical lessons

The government is also examining ways to more effectively prevent men and women willing to engage in violence for IS from leaving the country. It is no easy task, as the laws governing German citizenship and identity cards are difficult to circumvent. That is one of the many lessons learned from the Nazi dictatorship.

But the laws have to be modified. Currently, it is just as difficult to strip a citizen of their identity card as it is their citizenship, provided the person in question doesn't have a second passport. The dilemma is in the fact that most sympathizers travel via Turkey and Egypt into Syria and Iraq. And to enter Turkey and Egypt, Germans only need an identity card, not a passport.

Visible markings on ID cards?

The passport authorities could easily declare a personal identity card insufficient documentation to leave the country. But a Turkish border official might not necessarily know that. That's why some members of government are considering marking the identity cards of all suspects in a way that is visible to everyone. Isn't that a desirable option?

Not really, as the thought of such visible markings awakens uncomfortable memories of a very dark time in German history when passports belonging to Jews were stamped with a large "J." At the same time, such comparisons are not valid anymore. Back then, a criminal regime sought to exclude, humiliate and discriminate against Jews. Today, a legitimate government is searching for ways to protect its citizens. And it is entirely possible that it would prove to be an effective measure, even if it were not a panacea - we should not deceive ourselves. But politics should not be dumbed down in the face of real dangers.

Laws alone will not solve the problem

As is so often the case, the actual problem is not due to a lack of legislation. Investigators have too hard a time and are too late getting the critical information. Radicalization mostly happens quietly. And by the time investigators become aware of radicalized men and women, they've often already left the country.

Legislation alone will not stop violence-prone sympathizers from joining a terrorist group. The real challenge for our society lies in how to prevent young people from falling prey to rat catchers of all kinds. The principle of the welfare society should also apply to matters of national security. Because a missed opportunity can have terrible consequences.