Massive Counter-Terrorism Raids In Germany

Germany has been conducting raids on leftist groups in an attempt to prevent violence at the upcoming G-8 summit.

AP:

Hundreds of police on Wednesday raided the offices and apartments of left-wing activists suspected of planning to disrupt next month's Group of Eight summit, and security officials tightened border controls ahead of the gathering.

The crackdown was an attempt to ward off the violence that has marred past summits, particularly in 2001 in Genoa, Italy, when police and protesters clashed in the streets for days.

Prosecutors said they were investigating more than 18 people suspected of organizing what they called a terrorist group that planned to carry out firebombings and other violent attacks.

Apparently 40 premises were raided, and nearly 900 German government forces took part. I haven't been able to find out if the GSG-9 were involved, but you can bet they were.

Activists have come out and said this is an attempt to criminalize, and censor, peaceful protests.

'The only point of these searches is to criminalize and disrupt the protests against the G-8,' the Anti-Fascist Leftists of Berlin said. 'The accusation that terrorists would coordinate their movements through a leftist-run Internet server is ridiculous.'

Sure ... the past, and recent, violence had nothing to do with it. Besides, if Germany calls you a terrorist ... you are a terrorist.