Germany’s top court ruled Friday that the military may conduct combat operations within the country’s borders in case of a terror attack of “catastrophic proportions”, ending a post-war taboo. The Federal Constitutional Court said the Bundeswehr armed forces could deploy under strict conditions in case of an assault in Germany with the potential for scores of casualties. The deployment of troops in Germany is only acceptable in “states of emergency of catastrophic proportions,” the judges ruled, but never “in reaction to the threat posed by demonstrating crowds”. The use of combat weapons is only acceptable “as a last resort” and must be approved by the federal government, not simply delegated to the defence minister.
