German intelligence closely monitoring anti-Islam movements

Anti-Islam movement, PEGIDA is scheduled to hold a rally in Dresden on Monday night

BERLIN: Germany's domestic intelligence agency is closely monitoring anti-Islam movements like PEGIDA following a march last week in which demonstrators held up a mock gallows with a noose marked for Chancellor Angela Merkel, a spokesman for the interior ministry said.

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"The parading around of this gallows last week is a clear example that the baiting, the aggressive potential of this movement is growing," the spokesman told a regular government news conference. "This development is being watched very closely by domestic intelligence authorities, both at the federal and state level."

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PEGIDA is scheduled to hold a rally in Dresden on Monday night which will mark the one-year anniversary of its marches there. Several thousand took part in a rally last week at which a marcher held up mock gallows with the names of Merkel and Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel on them.