Ministers in Germany and Europe are demanding that more authoritarian powers are granted to government’s across the continent following the Brussels terrorist attack – saying that Europe needs its own version of the Patriot Act. Interior Minister Thomas de Maizière said that security across Europe needs tightening up and intelligence agencies, police, and the military need to be given more power to combat terrorism. “The most important preventative is information. We must exchange the information that exists”, de Maizière told broadcaster ZDF. He complained that there were still “separate databases of immigration authorities, visa authorities, police authorities, the intelligence services”, which could be more centralised. “Data silos should not hinder preventative action”, he concluded. Wsws.org reports: He repeated his demands on the ARD “Tagesthemen” news programme: “There are too many holes on the external borders of the Schengen area. We need registers for incoming and outgoing travel in the Schengen area.” He then added, “Data protection is all well and good, but in times of crises like these, security takes precedence.” According to de Maizière, Europe faces a common threat, therefore a common struggle against terrorism is now necessary. The leader of the conservative European People’s Party grouping in the European Parliament, Manfred [...]