Publishers Criticize Raid on Magazine

Interior Minister Otto Schily has come under fire by German publishing houses after raids conducted on a magazine and an editor's apartment. The minister shook off the criticism from the Federal Association of German Newspaper Publishers (BDZV) whose president struck out at Schily after police conducted the searches three weeks ago in response to an article printed by the magazine Cicero in which Federal Criminal Police Office documents meant only for internal purposes, and classified as "secret," were quoted in the piece. Schily said the raids were not incorrect and that freedom of the press in the country "does not justify breaking the law." Publishers called the raids "out of line" and only a means to harass the press.