Die Zeit's Jochen Bittner reports on systemic weaknesses in Germany's response to recent terrorist threats. Al-Qaeda has issued direct threats against Germany and has recently claimed responsibility for a bomb at a synagogue on Djerba that killed 14 German tourists. According to Bittner, German security services have described Germany as a "soft target" (using the english words, no less). The article discusses German worries about small pox and dirty bombs in particular. The most significant deficiency that the article identifies is Germany's outdated information system: it is almost thirty years old, and attempts to upgrade it have been hampered by software bugs and funding difficulties. The project is now on hold.