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A2 UP FRONT
Thursday 23 February 2017
Intelligence chief says more Islamic extremists in Germany

K. GRIESHABER The number of extremists asylum-seeker from Tunisia that the country is in the Munich prosecutors said
Associated Press under surveillance who drove a truck into a Christ- crosshairs of terror attacks in a statement that the
BERLIN (AP) — The head of are considered potential- mas market in Berlin in De- by Muslim extremists. But it 35-year-old man, whose
Germany’s domestic intel- ly dangerous enough to cember, killing 12 and in- was only after the Christ- name was not given, was
ligence agency cautioned carry out an attack is cur- juring dozens. The attack mas market attack in Ber- detained in the Bavarian
Wednesday that the num- rently at 570, according to was claimed by the Islamic lin that authorities started city of Ingolstadt follow-
ber of Islamic extremists in the agency, German news State group. cracking down heavily on ing extensive undercover
the country is on the rise agency dpa reported. Earlier last year, two other Islamic extremists, with ar- surveillance. His home and
and that the threat of an “Every day we get two, attacks carried out by asy- rests and raids against po- workplaces were raided
attack remains high. sometimes even four con- lum-seekers were claimed tential IS supporters now and several hard disks and
“We are currently counting crete leads regarding pos- by IS. Five people were taking place on a regular a small amount of drugs
1,600 people as potentially sible acts,” Maassen said. wounded in an ax ram- basis. were confiscated.
belonging to that group,” “We have to acknowledge page on a train near Wuer- Earlier Wednesday, Ger- The suspect allegedly sup-
Hans-Georg Maassen said that we live in these con- zburg and 15 in a bombing man authorities an- ported IS with his own
at the European police ditions and no longer in a outside a bar in Ansbach. nounced that a day earlier money but also used Rus-
congress in Berlin. At the normal situation.” Both of the attackers were they had arrested a Russian sian social media for fund-
end of last year, the agen- In the first mass casualty at- killed. citizen accused of finan- raising. He allegedly also
cy had counted around tack by an Islamic extrem- Germany’s top security of- cially supporting IS and of dealt drugs, the statement
1,200 people. ist in Germany, a rejected ficials have long warned dealing drugs. said.q
Russia: Syria safe zones need to be agreed with Damascus

VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV possible thaw with Wash-
Associated Press ington. Ties between the
MOSCOW (AP) — Russia is U.S. and Russia have been
open for dialogue with the badly strained over the
United States on safe zones Ukrainian crisis, the war in
in Syria but believes that Syria and other issues.
any such initiative needs Trump also has floated the
to be coordinated with the idea of safe zones as a
Syrian government, Mos- substitute for resettling ref-
cow’s top diplomat said ugees in the United States
Wednesday. and elsewhere around the
Foreign Minister Sergey globe. Lavrov noted that
Lavrov said he had briefly Russia will wait for the U.S.
discussed the issue with to spell it out.
U.S. Secretary of State Rex “We believe that any such
Tillerson when they met in initiatives concerning the
Germany last week. He territory of Syria need to be
added that Tillerson told coordinated with the Syr-
him the concept was still ian government; otherwise
being worked out. it would be hard to imple-
President Donald Trump’s ment them,” he said at a
praise for Russian Presi- news conference.
dent Vladimir Putin and his Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, right, poses with Filippo Grandi, the head of U.N. refugee “Having described our un-
promise to improve rela- agency UNHCR, for a photo during their meeting in Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2017. derstanding of what we
tions with Russia and joint- Russia is open for dialogue with the United States on safe zones in Syria but believes that any such can talk about, we are
ly fight the Islamic State initiative needs to be coordinated with the Syrian government, Moscow’s top diplomat Lavrov said waiting for clarifications
group in Syria have raised Wednesday. from Washington,” Lavrov
Kremlin expectations of a (AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin) said. q

WTO Deal to streamline world trade takes effect

JAMEY KEATEN show that full implemen- dent Donald Trump. don’t see any reason why are levied. It will also help
Associated Press tation of the deal would Azevedo said he had not that should change at this WTO member states ac-
GENEVA (AP) — The first reduce trade costs glob- spoken with any U.S. admin- point in time.” cept e-payments, limit ex-
multilateral trade agree- ally by an average of more istration officials on trade, “I do not think we are fac- port and import fees, and
ment reached under the than 14 percent. but noted that the U.S. was ing anything that is unman- harmonize trade standards.
World Trade Organization “This is fantastic news,” among the first countries to ageable,” he said of the WTO says the agreement
since it was created over a he told reporters at WTO ratify the agreement. U.S. concerns about possi- could add 2.7 percentage
generation ago has taken headquarters in Geneva. “This deal is about lowering ble unfair trade. “I honestly points per year to world
force, aiming to streamline “By ratifying the agree- trade costs, and as far as I don’t know what kind of trade growth by 2030.
cross-border trade to the ment, WTO members have know, all countries, all WTO trade policy will come.” In a statement, the Interna-
benefit of the developing shown their commitment to members — are in favor The Trade Facilitation tional Chamber of Com-
world in particular. multilateral lateral trading of that, regardless of what Agreement, concluded in merce hailed a “watershed
WTO Director-General system.” their domestic situation is at 2013, aims to cut red tape moment” for world trade
Roberto Azevedo said That multilateral trading any point in time,” he said. and speed up the flow of and said the agreement
Wednesday that the re- system has been under a He noted that the United goods across borders, such could “provide a boost to
quired two-thirds of mem- cloud recently amid con- States was involved in as by prioritizing perishable global trade flows of over
ber states have ratified the cerns about possible U.S. pushing for the conclusion goods and releasing prod- $1 trillion.”q
accord. He said estimates protectionism under Presi- of the agreement “and I ucts before customs duties