German spy agency to step up scrutiny of far-right party

Germany's domestic intelligence agency is reportedly planning to place the far-right Alternative for Germany party under heightened scrutiny amid concerns that it is flirting with extremism.

News outlets including weekly Der Spiegel and news agency dpa reported Tuesday that the BfV agency will examine public comments by the party's members and its links to extremist groups, but stop short of putting the party under covert surveillance. The Tagesspiegel newspaper reported, however, that limited covert surveillance is being considered for the party's youth wing and a faction within the party linked to a prominent leader in the east, Bjoern Hoecke.

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