Germany gives spy agencies new covert powers

Germany's parliament passed a major overhaul of the country's intelligence agencies on Friday, giving the BND foreign intelligence service new powers for covert operations abroad, including cyber attacks and some sabotage.

The legislation marks a significant change for agencies that have long been legally restricted mainly to gathering and analysing information. Targeted assassinations will remain forbidden.

The BND will also receive broader powers to intercept foreign communications, keep metadata for longer and use artificial intelligence to analyse large amounts of data.

Germany's domestic intelligence agency, the BfV, will be allowed to use automated data analysis and biometric facial recognition, retain some data for longer and carry out limited cyber responses. Intelligence expert Luca Manns told AFP the domestic agency's operational powers mainly covered disabling weapons and “hack-backs”.

Both agencies would be able, in limited circumstances, to covertly enter private homes or businesses for searches or surveillance.

Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said the changes would open “a new era” for Germany's intelligence services and said the agencies would operate under the strictest oversight mechanisms yet.

The reforms have drawn criticism from opposition parties, civil liberties groups and privacy watchdogs. The Greens have raised concerns about oversight and the boundary between intelligence agencies and police. Die Linke warned that expanded tools could be used against political opponents, while the far-right Alternative for Germany warned the BfV could become a “Stasi 2.0”.