The German government reported on Monday that the country faces less threat of terrorist attacks than those states who took part in the Iraq war in 2003.

In its annual report, the Verfassungsschutz, or the constitution-protecting agency, said that "the degree to which Germany is threatened is clearly lower than for those states which took part in the Iraq war."

Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder rejected participation of the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 and refused sending troops to Iraq after the war. The policy is backed by the current government led by Angela Merkel.

The report by the Verfassungsschutz noted that the number of Islamic extremists based in Germany had increased slightly last year to 32,100, about 300 more than 2004.

Germany has a Muslim minority of about three million out of a total population of 82 million, said the report. The biggest Islamist group is Milli Gorus, a Turkish movement with 26,500 members.

The Verfassungsschutz noted that though Germany did not join the Iraq war, it is "still seen as a helper of the US and Israel."

Speaking at a press conference on releasing the report, German Interior Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble indicated that Germany also faces threat of international terrorism.

"Germany is part of a worldwide endangered area that remains in the spectrum of targets for Islamic terrorists," he said.

He added: "The fight against international terrorism is the largest challenge for security policies in our time."

Source: Xinhua