Liberals Reject New Anti-Terror Law

Free Democratic party leader Guido Westerwelle has dismissed calls for a new anti-terror law in the wake of last week's Madrid attacks. The liberal party chief also stressed that the FDP would reject a change to Germany's constitution that would enable the army to be deployed domestically to prevent terrorist activities. Westerwelle told the Westdeutsche Zeitung newspaper that Germany already has plenty of laws but that they aren't being adequately applied. He complained that police stations were understaffed and poorly equipped. In an interview with the Rheinische Merkur weekly, Westerwelle pointed out that the army can already be deployed in catastrophes. Both Defense Minister Peter Struck and the German military's highest ranking officer, Wolfgang Schneiderhan, have said they oppose the conservatives union parties' initiative to change Germany's Basic Law.