The Greens Call for a Meeting of the National Security Council

Following the incident involving an explosive-laden drone at Leipzig/Halle Airport, the Greens in the Bundestag are calling for the National Security Council to convene. Parliamentary group leader Katharina Dröge told the German Press Agency that the National Security Council must convene immediately to discuss the situation and the necessary measures to be taken. In such a serious situation, Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) and Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) should also be present.

The CDU-SPD federal government established the National Security Council last year to enable a rapid and effective response to crises and threats of all kinds. In addition to members of the federal government and security agencies, representatives from the states may also be invited.

Dobrindt on site at the airport

The drone carrying the explosive device was discovered early Wednesday morning on the “South Runway” at Leipzig/Halle Airport. According to security sources, it was located near a Ukrainian Antonov AN-124 Condor transport aircraft. Specialists from the Federal Police defused the explosive device.

On Wednesday evening, Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) was on site at the airport and held consultations with representatives of the state government and security agencies. He spoke of a “hybrid attack scenario” and did not rule out “foreign powers” as the masterminds. 

“That would then be state terrorism”

Dröge spoke of a “significant and serious hybrid attack.” Many questions regarding this remain unanswered even after Dobrindt’s press conference. There is strong evidence suggesting that a state actor is responsible for the attack. “That would then be state terrorism, which requires a clear and consistent response from the Federal Republic of Germany,” Dröge emphasized. 

Given the severity of the incidents, consultation within the framework of NATO would also be appropriate, she added. The Greens had also requested that the Bundestag’s Interior and Defense Committees be briefed promptly. 

New Powers for Intelligence Agencies

“We are definitely dealing with a new level of threat here,” said SPD interior policy expert Sonja Eichwede on Deutschlandfunk. She pointed out that Leipzig/Halle Airport is equipped with a drone defense system. However, the drone in question was not a commercially available model but a professionally built one that had gone undetected. 

Eichwede, who is also a member of the Parliamentary Control Panel for the Intelligence Services, emphasized that efforts are underway to equip all airports with drone defense systems. She also referred to the drone defense center that has already been established and the tightening of the Aviation Security Act and the Cybersecurity Act. The Federal Cabinet is expected to approve additional powers for the intelligence services next week.