ABSTRACT
A government’s first duty is to protect the lives and property of its citizens. Therefore, political leaders tend to take extraordinary measures during times of crisis in the name of providing security. Hunting down terrorists, punishing supporters of terrorist activities, launching retaliatory strikes, tightening security measures, and strengthening preparedness programs are all parts of an overall counterterrorism strategy. In early 2006, Germany’s Constitutional Court ruled in the case of a Moroccan plaintiff that Rasterfahndung is legal only in the face of a “real threat” to the security of the country or the life of a citizen. Governments must strive for a balance between providing security and respecting civil liberties and human rights on the other, between effective anti- and counterterrorist measures on one side and highly esteemed societal values on the other. Businesses have security plans and sometimes share commercial data with government.
