The Daily Telegraph

Fears of far-right mole in German police

Infiltrati­on concerns after identity of Iraqi held over knife murder is leaked online, leading to riots

- by Justin Huggler in Berlin

THE leak of an arrest warrant that names one of the chief suspects in a stabbing that set off neo-nazi riots in Germany this week has raised fears that the country’s police may have been infiltrate­d by the far Right.

The confidenti­al document, which was shared by far-right groups on social media, names a 22-year-old Iraqi, one of two immigrants being held on suspicion of stabbing a German-cuban man to death in the eastern city of Chemnitz at the weekend.

The killing set off the most serious neo-nazi violence in Germany for several years.

More than 6,000 far-right protesters marched through the streets of Chemnitz on Monday night, attacking foreigners, giving the Hitler salute and chanting: “A dead foreigner for every dead German.” Police confirmed yesterday the leaked document was genuine and said they had opened an investigat­ion into suspected “violation of official secrets”.

The leak has added to growing concerns that far-right sympathise­rs may have infiltrate­d the local force in the east German state of Saxony, where Chemnitz lies.

There are fears of possible vigilante attacks after the leaked document gave the full name and address of one of the arrested men.

Other migrants at the shelter where he was living spoke yesterday of their fear the building could be targeted.

The regional government said in a statement yesterday that the leak was “incomprehe­nsible” and Michael Kretschmer, the regional prime minister, pledged to “clear this up”.

Martin Dulig, the deputy regional premier, described the leak as “scandalous” and “monstrous”.

Police have already come in for heavy criticism after they were unable to bring the riots under control.

The leak also follows an incident earlier this month in which police forcibly prevented a television news crew from filming a demonstrat­ion by the Pegida anti-muslim movement in Dresden, the Saxon capital.

It later emerged they were acting after a complaint from an off-duty officer who was taking part in the demonstrat­ion.

The leaked arrest warrant was shared on social media by Lutz Bachmann, the Pegida founder, and Pro Chemitz, the group that organised Monday night’s protests in the city.

It gives the full name of one of the arrested men, a 22-year-old Iraqi who has so far been identified publicly only as Yousif IA under German privacy laws.

A 23-year-old Syrian named as Alaa S is also being held in connection with the stabbing.

Both men were arrested shortly after the incident.

Meanwhile, friends of the dead man have suggested he would be appalled at the violence in his name.

The 35-year-old, named only as Daniel H, was the son of a German father and Cuban mother and frequently called for tolerance on his Facebook page.

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