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| Germany in 'Stasi scent tactic' | Germany in 'Stasi scent tactic' |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| The German authorities are compiling a database of human scents to track down possible violent protesters at the G8 summit in June, local media report. | |
| The method, once used by East Germany's secret police, the Stasi, involves collecting scent samples in advance from selected targets. | The method, once used by East Germany's secret police, the Stasi, involves collecting scent samples in advance from selected targets. |
| The scents are then passed to police equipped with sniffer dogs who can pick the individuals out amidst a crowd. | The scents are then passed to police equipped with sniffer dogs who can pick the individuals out amidst a crowd. |
| Past G8 summits have suffered serious unrest, which Germany is keen to avoid. | Past G8 summits have suffered serious unrest, which Germany is keen to avoid. |
| According to German media reports, most of the odour-collecting happened in dawn raids on the homes of suspected troublemakers. | |
| A state that adopts the methods of the East German Stasi, robs itself of every... legitimacy Petra Pau, opposition politician Those targeted say they had scent samples taken from their clothes and other belongings or directly from sweat on the palms of their hands. | A state that adopts the methods of the East German Stasi, robs itself of every... legitimacy Petra Pau, opposition politician Those targeted say they had scent samples taken from their clothes and other belongings or directly from sweat on the palms of their hands. |
| Following press reports, Interior Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble admitted that odour samples had been collected during raids connected with a group of suspected anti-globalisation activists. | Following press reports, Interior Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble admitted that odour samples had been collected during raids connected with a group of suspected anti-globalisation activists. |
| "In some cases it can be a way of identifying suspects," he was quoted by AFP as saying. | "In some cases it can be a way of identifying suspects," he was quoted by AFP as saying. |
| The activists are accused of planning a series of arson attacks to disrupt the G8 summit. | The activists are accused of planning a series of arson attacks to disrupt the G8 summit. |
| Museum display | Museum display |
| Petra Pau, a politician with the opposition Left Party, described the move "as another step away from a democratic state of law toward a preventive security state". | Petra Pau, a politician with the opposition Left Party, described the move "as another step away from a democratic state of law toward a preventive security state". |
| "A state that adopts the methods of the East German Stasi, robs itself of every... legitimacy," she said in a statement. | "A state that adopts the methods of the East German Stasi, robs itself of every... legitimacy," she said in a statement. |
| The Ministry for State Security, known as the Stasi, which acted as East Germany's secret police and intelligence agency throughout the Cold War, used odour recognition to keep tabs on potential dissidents. | The Ministry for State Security, known as the Stasi, which acted as East Germany's secret police and intelligence agency throughout the Cold War, used odour recognition to keep tabs on potential dissidents. |
| Germany is keen to avoid the kind of unrest seen at past summitsThey often collected the samples surreptitiously - breaking into homes to steal suspects' underwear, or by wiping down chairs used during interrogations. | Germany is keen to avoid the kind of unrest seen at past summitsThey often collected the samples surreptitiously - breaking into homes to steal suspects' underwear, or by wiping down chairs used during interrogations. |
| The samples were then stored in glass jars, each carefully labelled with details of whom the sample came from. Some of the jars are now on display at the Stasi museum in Berlin. | The samples were then stored in glass jars, each carefully labelled with details of whom the sample came from. Some of the jars are now on display at the Stasi museum in Berlin. |
| The meeting of leaders of the Group of Eight (G8) most industrialised nations is due to take place from 6-8 June. | The meeting of leaders of the Group of Eight (G8) most industrialised nations is due to take place from 6-8 June. |
| As the current holders of the G8 presidency Germany is playing host to the summit, which is being held in the Baltic Sea resort of Heiligendamm. | As the current holders of the G8 presidency Germany is playing host to the summit, which is being held in the Baltic Sea resort of Heiligendamm. |
| Past summits have been targeted by thousands of anti-globalisation activists and protests have often turned violent. | Past summits have been targeted by thousands of anti-globalisation activists and protests have often turned violent. |