Germany Proposes to Strip Islamist Militants of Citizenship

Germany unveiled tough new anti-terror measures on Thursday after last month’s attacks claimed by the Islamic State group.

The measures announced by Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere at a news conference in Berlin include a proposal to strip Germans with dual nationality of their German citizenship if they join foreign terror organisations.

Two terror attacks by Islamist migrants - in Wuerzburg and Ansbach - shocked Germany last month.

Thomas de Maiziere argued that ”if someone fights for terror militia that is similar to an armed force, and which calls itself an army, I don't see why this should not be considered," according to AFP.

He added that the existing German law allows for citizens with dual nationalitywho fight for a foreign army to be stripped of their German citizenship.

Thomas de Maiziere also announced plans to speed up the deportation of foreign criminals and pledged increased personnel, equipment and surveillance powers for the police.

According to German media reports, the centre-left Social Democrats - the  coalition partners of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Christian Democrats – and the Greens are strongly against any general ban on dual citizenship, the BBC said.

The proposed package of new security measures has yet to be approved by the German parliament to become law.