Bavarian official says military aid needed in time of crisis
Bavaria’s top security official says Germany needs to be able to call upon its military in times of crisis like the July 22 night’s shooting rampage at a Munich mall.
With an eye on the Nazi era excesses, Germany’s post-war constitution only allows the Bundeswehr to be deployed domestically in a national emergency.
But state Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann told Welt am Sonntag newspaper July 24 the regulations are obsolete, with “an absolutely stable democracy in our country.”
“In extreme situations — like for example the terrorist attacks in Paris and Brussels — we should also be able to call upon the Bundeswehr in Germany,” he said. “It makes no sense to say we categorically reject that.”
An 18-year-old with a pistol killed nine and wounded dozens July 22 before taking his own life. AP
Saudi air defense forces shoot down missile fired from Yemen
The Saudi-led military coalition in Yemen says Saudi air defense forces have shot down a ballistic missile fired at the kingdom from Yemen.
A statement carried on the official Saudi Press Agency says the missile targeting the southern city of Najran was intercepted at 9:30 a.m. local time July 23. No damage or casualties were reported.
The Saudi-led coalition backs Yemen’s internationally recognized government against Shiite rebels and their allies who control territory including the capital, Sanaa. AP