Police unions defend police action in peace protest

On Thursday, police unions defended police action in Hamburg during a student peace demonstration on Monday. Demonstrators had been given plenty of warning before police forces made use of batons and water cannons, the unions said. Student representatives accused the police of adopting unproportional measures when the demonstration escalated. Altogether 15 people were injured and 29 demonstrators were arrested, according to police information.

Germans still against war

The majority of the German population is still against a war in Iraq, according to a recent poll. Only 12 percent say a war is justified, while 83 percent reject military action in Iraq, according to a survey commissioned by public state television MDR. The number of those opposed to war was even higher in East Germany, reaching 91 percent, while in Germany's western states, 82 percent said they were opposed to war. However, 61 percent of those questioned said that Germany should contribute to the reconstruction of Iraq, with 36 percent against participation.

New cases of mystery virus

Two new suspected cases of a dangerous pneumonia that has killed more than 50 people worldwide surfaced in Germany on Thursday. German health officials said an 18 month-old child in Freiburg and a 26 year-old man from Taiwan in Cologne were both at risk of having severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). Several other patients are still currently under oberservation throughout Germany. The virus, which is thought to have originated in China, has since spread to Singapore, Vietnam, Canada, Germany, Japan, the United States, France and Britain.

Terrorist suspect arrested in Berlin

German authorities said they arrested a major terrorism suspect on Thursday. The Tunisian man is believed to have been an accomplice of Mohammed Atta, the suspected leaders of the September 11th terrorist attacks. The man was arrested by German officials in a raid in Berlin, after having been informed by a Saudi Diplomat. The man is charged with supporting terrorist organizations. Five other suspected Islamic extremists were also arrested during the raid.

Compiled with material from wire services.