Berlin – Germany’s Justice Minister Katarina Barley has condemned a “severe” leak of politicians’ personal data online as an attack on the country’s democracy.
“The author of the attack wants to damage trust in our democracy and in our institutions,” she said.
The perpetrator should be found immediately and their motives clarified, she said.
“Criminals and those who back them should not be allowed to dictate any debate in our country,” she said.
Berlin-based rbb inforadio reported earlier that there had been a massive hack of the personal data of German politicians at federal and state level.
According to information from Berlin-based rbb inforadio on Friday, large amounts of personal data and documents from hundreds of politicians were published via Twitter.
The owner of the Twitter account that published the data describes him or herself using terms such as security research, artist, satire and irony.
According to the report, the alleged leaks were noticed on Thursday evening.
All parties represented in the Bundestag with the exception of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) have apparently been affected.
Much of the leaked data concerns mobile phone numbers and addresses, but in some cases also personal information such as identity cards, chats, letters, invoices or credit card information.
There has been no confirmation of whether all the data is authentic, and it is not yet known who is responsible for the leak and publication of the data.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel is among those caught up in a huge data hack that targeted German politicians.
Her fax number, email address and several letters both to and from Merkel were among the data leaked online via Twitter.
It is not yet clear whether the letters contain sensitive information.