Germany toughens measures to respond against terrorism

BERLIN — The German government proposed a broad range of measures Thursday to bolster security and combat terrorism, its strongest official response to two recent attacks by terrorists pledging loyalty to the Islamic State and a deadly shooting rampage in Munich.

Many of the measures, which include closer monitoring of refugees and enhanced surveillance, seem likely to win legislative approval but prompted concerns in a country that is deeply protective of privacy and civil liberties.

The package of proposals is the most comprehensive from the German government since Europe became a target of terrorist attacks by the Islamic State and other radical groups. They were unveiled at a time Chancellor Angela Merkel is facing accusations that the welcome she gave last year to migrants streaming to the Continent from Syria and other nations in the Middle East has compromised security.

The proposals announced by Interior Minister Thomas de Maizière call for the hiring of more federal police officers; making it a crime to express sympathy for terrorism; greater sharing of intelligence data across Europe; a closer watch on the “dark web,” the part of the internet that is invisible to ordinary users; stripping dual citizens of their German citizenship if they fight for extremist groups; and making it easier to deport foreigners deemed dangerous.

In a phone interview, Ralf Stegner, a leading Social Democrat, said his party supported hiring additional police, upgrading technology, investigating the dark web and improving cooperation with European countries, but was skeptical of a proposal by de Maizière to restrict certain rights of migrants whose asylum applications have been denied but who cannot easily be deported.