Left-Extremist Endeavours

Residencies control the
source and informant
network
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*)
supporter, on leading functionaries and activities of that organization
in Germany on behalf of the Iranian intelligence service *) .
2. Syrian Intelligence Services
Also the Syrian intelligence services continued their intelligence
collection activities in Germany.
For the development and control of the source and informant
network set up to this end, they run undercover bases established
at the official and quasi-official missions (legal residencies).
The latter include the Syrian Embassy.
The main tasks of the Syrian intelligence service officers operating
from these missions under diplomatic cover are intelligence
collection, and spying on and monitoring of compatriots living in
Germany who are critical of the political system in their home
country. The primary observation sites of Syrian secret services
include the Islamic Centres and mosques whose frequenters are
considered to be among the political opponents. With the help of
sources and informants, the services attempt to gather information
on the living conditions, contacts and political aims of these
persons so as to induce them, by using the information thus obtained,
to abandon their dissident stance.
A case in point concerns a 43-year old Syrian who, after his asylum
application had been turned down in August 1995, as a walkin
volunteered co-operation with the Syrian intelligence service.
Since then, he had maintained intensive intelligence contacts
with the resident of the civilian Syrian intelligence service who
held the cover post of attaché in the Consular Division of the
Syrian Embassy. In this context, he procured, and delivered to
his handler, personal data on a large number of ethnic Syrians
and Lebanese living in Germany. For this purpose, he increasingly
made use of clandestine methods and means.
This intelligence contact ended in May 1999 when he was arrested.
In early October, he was sentenced by the Hamburg OLG
(Higher Regional Court of Appeal) to two years' imprisonment
(suspended on probation) on the charge of intelligence activity on
behalf of Syria.
At the instigation of the Foreign Office, the agent controller of the
Syrian Embassy left the Federal Republic of Germany on 24
July.
On 19 January 2000, the Berlin Higher Regional Court of Appeal sentenced the accused to
18 months’ imprisonment (suspended on probation) and to a fine of 5,000 DM.
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